Feeling energetic first thing this morning – after walking and feeding the pups – I set out to make a side dish for lunch and a dessert for dinner.
My friend Rockie posted a promising Onion & Beet Salad to our FB group and I had two cryovac packages of steamed beets in the fridge screaming to be set free. So much easier than starting with fresh beets, I adapted her recipe with just one more modification, using only half the dressing called for. The original recipe would have yielded about a cup of dressing. I often find that to be true with marinades as well – cutting the recipe in half with nothing lost in flavor.
The salad turned out beautifully – just the right combination of sweet and sour, with a nice bit of crunch from the diced red onions:
RED ONION AND BEET SALAD
In medium bowl, combine the following: 6 large steamed beets (as mentioned, from cryovac packages) diced about 1/2″; 1 medium red onion diced about 1/4″
In smaller bowl, whisk together the dressing: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 3 T red or white wine vinegar; 2 T sugar; 1/2 t salt; 1 t basil; 1/4 tsp pepper
Toss the beets and onion with the dressing, chill at least an hour, and enjoy!
LEMON BLUEBERRY CAKE – FAIL
Yes, we all have our days, and I have made this lemony yogurt pound cake so many times, I decided to add blueberries to the mix. Everything went swimmingly until it came time to release the cooled cake from the loaf pan. The end result, as seen here – blueberry crumble cake. Too tasty to throw out, but not what I had in mind. Should have placed a sheet of parchment in the bottom of the pan, as I’m sure both the weight and sugar content of the blueberries made the whole thing stick. Half came out, the rest had to be scraped out. But the basic recipe is one worth repeating, posted herewith from Epicurious. I use Redwood Hill Farm Goat Milk Yogurt, the zest of a whole lemon, and whatever marmalade we have available – today, it was tangerine:
YOGURT CAKE WITH MARMALADE GLAZE
(courtesy of Epicurious)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/yogurt-cake-with-marmalade-glaze-231588
ronilovescooking 
Okay- now for sure I am making that beet salad. My neighbor (the one who passed away recently) planted beets before he departed us, so I can go over there and help myself, as they are looking ready for picking. His widow won’t touch them.
As for the lemon/blueberry crumble—doesn’t that pizz ya’ off when that happens? Believe me, I’ve had my share. 🙂
What are you going to do with it? A trifle kinda thing with a lemony-custard sauce?
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Rockie – we’re just eating it served in a bowl – tasted really good. I did drizzle the tangerine marmalade glaze over it and tossed it (cake salad).
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Cake salad- love it!
I just hauled out the mandoline to slice up potatoes for a gallette. Haven’t had that in ages…and now your blueberry cake salad makes me want something lemony. Hmmmm.
Was gonna do brats on the grill, but the sky is darkening, so plan B is oven roasted chicken breasts. Sauteed spinach, bacon and onion and that is dinner.
Think I have some lemon yogurt. That will have to do.
🙂
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I have found that freezing the blueberries then folding them into the dry cake/ muffin part of the recipe mixture prevents them from bleeding (and sinking to the bottom) because the sugary juices are pretty much sealed in and the end result remains in tact..
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Salad looks/sounds lovely. Would pair well w/ so many things… I’m thinking salmon, pork chops, chicken thighs… 🙂 Cake? Tasty never equals failed in my book! >>> Two winners, Roni!
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