Roasted Beets

This post, written by my husband, was originally featured on our currently-dormant food blog, Feeding My Love. It's such a great simple recipe for the fall and winter, I just had to share it here.


Beets can be a somewhat vexing vegetable to tackle if you are unfamiliar with them.  They have a fairly sweet flavor that takes ownership of most dishes in which they are incorporated, and the ruby red color will infiltrate anything that you add them to (and do a number on skin and clothing, as well).  I find that the easiest way to cook them also results in the tastiest results, so I roast them whole.  Less work, less mess, delicious end product.

When selecting beets, try to get a group that are uniform in size, which will simplify the cooking process even further.  A larger beet will take longer to cook then a smaller one; it's as simple as that.  Choose beets that have fresh, vibrant leaves still attached and that are heavy and very firm.

Get the beets home and cut off the stems very close to the beets themselves.  I save the greens to put into soups and other dishes.  Wash the beets thoroughly, place them whole in an oven safe dish, and bake for about an hour at 375F.  Pull them out and let them cool down enough to peel, then slice and serve them.  Roasting the beets intensifies the flavor, as opposed to boiling them.  Cooked beets are also easier to peel and much, much easier to slice  We like them as a hot side dish to roasted chicken, or served cold the next day for lunch with egg salad (or some of that leftover chicken).

My Wedding: Part 4

The ceremony.

Check out part 1, part 2, and part 3.


All photos by T. Kevin Birch Photography

My Wedding: Part 3

We walked to a park nearby for photos.

Check out part 1 and part 2.

All photos by T. Kevin Birch Photography

Ghost Towns of the East Part 3

This is part 3 of a series. You can find the earlier installments here and here.

Years ago while on a trip to the Finger Lakes, we spent a day biking from Keuka Lake to Seneca Lake along the Keuka Outlet Trail. We were surprised to find an abounded industrial complex. A little bit of research later on identified the area as Cascade Mills.

I wish I could find pictures from that trip, but it was almost ten years ago and I've lost the photo files since then. It was a fantastic trip. We got caught in the rain and jumped off trees into a creek. If you're in that area, definitely check it out.

I do have some pictures from a brief visit to Penn Hills Resort in Pennsylvania. I didn't go into the buildings when I visited because of the "No Trespassing" signs posted throughout the area. The resort flanks the road, and much of it is visible just from your car.

According to Wikipedia, the resort closed in 2009. That explains why some areas of the resort looked almost new. It is obvious that other areas of the resort had been neglected long before then, though.

My Wedding: Part 2

Our first look.

Check out part 1.

All photos by T. Kevin Birch Photography

The Colorado River From the Beginning to End

Those who have seen Into the Wild are probably aware that the Colorado River, the architect behind the Grand Canyon, runs dry before it reaches the ocean.

I've been aware of this, but I didn't appreciate the magnitude of the human effect on this river until I watched NRS's webseries, Remains of a River.

In the winter of 2011-2012, two friends paddled the Colorado River from its source, through the numerous reservoirs that dam its flow, all the way to the dry riverbed that leads to the Sea of Cortez.

Remains of a River Trailer from NRS Films on Vimeo.


You can watch all ten parts on Vimeo.


Here's part 1 to get you started:

Remains of a River: Headwaters / Episode 1 from NRS Films on Vimeo.


Did you know the story of the Colorado River? Have you experienced a river like this?