Beet and Bleu Cheese Salad

Oh Rookie Chef! I've missed you! It's been so long since my last update, I feel like such a bad blogger!

Our oven is on the fritz. What's the saying... "If it's not one thing, it's another"?? Yep, welcome to our house. But hey, it's home. So coming up with food ideas that don't include take-out or delivery has been tough. You can only make so many meals in the toaster oven, you know?

So I've been craving beets lately and after a delicious salad I tried at the market, I knew I had to try to recreate.

Ingredients:

• 1 can diced beets
• Bleu cheese crumbles
• onions, carmelized
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed
• 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil (for onions)
• Sugar
• 1 TBSP butter
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place beets in tin foil and completely seal. I threw this 'pouch' in the toaster oven at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes so that the beets were very tender. Let beets cool completely after this step
• Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic and salt and peppers to taste. Let this hang out while your beets are in the toaster oven. This gives all of the flavors a chance to work together
• To carmalize the onions, melt a little butter and olive oil in a sautee pan. Add sliced onions, lightly salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to brown. Then sprinkle a little sugar around. Continue to cook until onions are carmelized (brown, a little crunchy, and delicious!)
• Remove the smashed garlic clove out of the vinegar mixture.
• Toss cooled beets and carmelized onions into the vinegar mixture, plate, and top with bleu cheese.

Mmmm this hit the spot! Tangy, creamy, and just what I was craving!