Beets to beat the drum

I'm so often inspired (though sometimes intimidated) by other blogs that write about what they've cooked that morning or baked for dinner and show these beautiful photos... and I think to myself, 'gads, I should be doing that!" And, I do!
I cook dinner every night and make most breakfasts and lunches for RK and I everyday, though I rarely (okay, never) have a camera with me to catch the moment in frozen color. I'm too busy trying to get everything together and have it all ready at the same exact moment: warm soup, cold salad, hot snasauges (yeah, I meant to spell it that way, we don't make meat at home)--usually four or five things that have to come together perfectly to make it all work. Ah, it's a rarity to have that kind of fusion, but I sure try.
So I've recently discovered the perfect food: Beets.
I could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The other night, I actually made beets with candied walnuts and blue cheese (and, no, I didn't have a camera to capture the magic)! So, I picked up beets again yesterday and found a recipe for the dirty greens on top, too! The beets are so easy: You chop off the green tops and wrap them in tinfoil and toss them in a 400~degree oven for about an hour. Pull 'em out, let them cool a bit, unwrap and just push the skin off. That's one of the most fun parts, actually, the skin just rolls right off and you have these perfect, beautiful, blood red beets ready to bite into. And, while they're cooking, it smells like candy thru-out the house. I love the way the beet dyes your hands and everything else it touches.
In the meantime, I ripped up the greens (after a really, really good washing) into little bits, as well as the stems and steamed them with olive oil, onions and garlic in a pan with a splash of water. They were excellent. Highly recommended.
Oh yes, and one more yummy winter food idea: Kale! Fold the kale leaves in half, like a book, and rip the stems out from the center. Toss with a little olive oil, lay down on a cookie pan and bake at 375~ for 5 mins. after that, turn the little leaves over and bake them for 7 mins. more and sprinkle sea salt over them. Kale chips! Amazing.
Okay, back to the kitchen...