Roasted Beet Salad

Super simple, easily elegant, sinfully delicious………………….. Roasted Beet Salad.

Roasted Beet Salad

I only remember beets two ways as a kid….from a can…….or pickled beets. I don’t think I ate either and was truly amazed when I ate them for the first time as an adult.

When I began gardening, I planted them and canned pickled beets every year. I’m kinda over the canning. It’s a wonderful thing and maybe when I retire….. someday…… I will pick it up again. It was nice to have your own fresh veggies in the winter……your own organics.

Roasted Beet Salad

These days, I purchase beets, organic when I can and roasting is my preferred method of cooking. Roasting beets intensifies their flavor, it brings out an earthy sweetness, and makes them easy to peel.

To roast beets cut the tops off leaving about two inches of the stem. Leave the tap root……the thing that looks like a tail on…..don’t cut it off. Scrub the beet to remove any dirt and place beets on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Use enough foil to cover the beets. Wrap tightly. Place the beets in a 400* oven for 45-55 minutes or until fork tender.

Roasted Beet Salad

Once the beets are roasted, remove from the oven and open the foil to allow steam to escape….be careful!

Allow the beets to cool enough to handle them, the skins will slide right off. You can then cut off the tap root. Then slice, cube, chunk……whatever you desire.

Roasted Beet Salad

I wanted a simple recipe that let the flavor of the beets shine, so I made a simple vinaigrette and tossed the beets….I cubed mine……in the vinaigrette and allowed then to set while I toasted the walnuts.

Blue cheese with its pretty blue green marbling and tangy flavor is the perfect accompaniment to the beets and walnuts. If you are not a fan of the blue cheese goat cheese would make a great substitute.

Roasted Beet Salad

If you are looking for a easy, beautiful, side dish look no further than Roasted Beet Salad.

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Roasted Beet Salad

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 5 large Roasted Beets, peeled and cubed
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Blue Cheese

Instructions

  1. Whisk garlic, vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper until emulsified. Add beets and toss to coat.
  2. To serve top beets with toasted walnuts and a wedge of blue cheese.

 

5 Bean Basil Salad

Making a special meal for Mom on May 8th? 5 Bean Basil Salad is a perfect salad for brunch or lunch.
5 Bean Basil Salad

Healthy, beautiful, super easy to prepare, and can be made ahead. What’s not to love!!

5 Bean Basil Salad

I no longer am fortunate enough to have my Mother, but we always made a huge ordeal over Mothers Day. My Mom loved good food, and I was always happy to prepare it for her. But on Mothers Day, I always went the extra mile.

5 Bean Basil Salad

Not only did the meal need to be really good, but it had to be beautiful…….just like my Mom! Everything had to be artfully arranged, and only the best china, and flowers would do. After all it was the day we celebrated her.5 Bean Basil Salad

If your Mom deserves a special meal……and what Mom doesn’t? Add Five Bean Basil Salad to the menu. Green beans, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and cannellini beans. The colors alone are enough to make your mouth water.

Add the red and yellow of cherry tomatoes, and the red and white of radishes…….art on a platter.

5 Bean Basil Salad

Top it all with what I must say was an excellent basil dressing and you have a salad made for a Queen….a.k.a. Mom!

5 Bean Basil Salad

The Five Bean Basil Salad is so extra easy to prepare that you will have plenty of time to spend with the lady of the day! So spoil you Mom this Mothers Day…..she deserves it!!

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5 Bean Basil Salad

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish
  • 1 small shallot, quartered
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
  • 1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 cup halved red & yellow cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

Instructions

  1. For dressing:
  2. Combine 1/2 cup basil, shallot, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender and puree until smooth.
  3. Arrange the green beans and all other ingredients decoratively on a platter. Serve with the dressing. Garnish with the chopped basil.

 

Thanksgiving 2015

In less than a week it will be “Turkey Day”…….a day to celebrate all that you are thankful for…….and eat, eat, eat!!!!!

I am sure you are all preparing your grocery lists and heading to the store to buy all that you need for the upcoming festivities…….BUT WAIT!!!!! Before you head out, check out these recipes from What the “Forks” for Dinner?

First, you need appetizers……a.k.a. snacks, this will keep folks from hovering around you asking when is dinner ready……..

Marinated Mozzarella just add some crackers and you are good to go. Make the Marinated Mozzarella a few days ahead so the flavors really get into the cheese.

Marinated Mozzarella 4

 

Fruity Snack Mix perfect to just grab a handful and much. Bonus… it can be made well in advance.

Fruity Nut Mix 4

 

The main dish of course has to be the bird……Thanksgiving Turkey Roll. This was soooo good, and again you can make this ahead, just by one day though, just pop it in the oven for about an hour and its good to go.

Thanksgiving Turkey Roll 3

You will need side dishes, and Green Bean Casserole is classic, my recipe is a version of the classic…….no canned soup!

Green Bean Casserole

Not so classic, but a pretty addition… and a cold salad Dijon Carrot Salad is colorful and light.

Dijon Carrot Salad

And what is Thanksgiving without Cranberry Sauce

Forget the canned sauce……this is so much better,
and it can be made up to 10 days ahead……..that’s right…….. ten days!!!

Cranberry Chef

Dessert….while everyone says “Oh I’m stuffed and can’t eat another bite……..there is always room for pie! How about candy bar pie……a break with tradition. Butterfinger Pie or Kit Kat Pie are equally delicious.
Butterfinger PieKit Kat Pie

We at What the “Forks” for Dinner? wish you and your an very Happy Thanksgiving!