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James’ family has been visiting– his brother from Texas, and his sister and her husband from Virginia. Last Thursday evening, we had a lovely dinner together on our wedding china, and it was nice to be together. I can’t remember when James’ siblings were last all together in our home.

We served tuna steak with my Herbed Lemon Pepper Butter, my Blueberry Corn Saladita which is a favorite this time of year, and the beet salad that follows. For dessert we had our Peach Galette from our own homegrown peaches.

We had a bumper crop of beets last year (photos here) that we are still trying to eat up before this year’s fresh beets come on. Knowing that James’ brother liked beets, I thought this might be a good opportunity to use some of them. I roasted them before I froze them, but you can skip the freezing step, and roasted your own now.  I explain how to roast beets here. (Even people who usually don’t like beets love mine roasted this way, if they’ll only give them a try.)

We’ve got tomatoes ripening in the garden (the yellow ones were especially pretty here), and I had leftover Strawberry Basil Salad Dressing in the refrigerator, so all this came together very easily for me. However it is worth the work of roasting the beets and making the dressing just for this dish. With a little mint from our garden and some other things thrown in on a wing and a prayer, and the resulting dish was delicious and pretty and merits repeating– hence this blog. I only wish I had better light to photograph it in! Anyway… give it a try!

Roasted Beet and Tomato Salad Recipe

2 cups roasted beets, diced
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 small (or 1/2 large) jicama, peeled and grated
1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded small
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted to golden in a dry pan
1/3 cup Strawberry Basil Salad Dressing
17 large mint leaves, minced

Mix all the above ingredients together for some yummy, colorful joy!

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