I'm Beet....Beat

Whew, what a day.  Canning is a very tiring job but when you look at what you've accomplished, it makes it a bit more meaningful.  Yesterday was my day for doing another batch of beets.  I bottled 12 quarts last week and another 13 quarts yesterday.  I do like the process of baking my beets instead of the messy boiling process.  After cutting off the tops, leaving 1-2 inches (leave the roots on) and washing them, I line them all up, soldier like, on my cookie sheets.  Put a little water in the pan, cover them with tin foil and bake them till tender.  After they have baked till tender, I put them in cold water and take the skins off.  After that, it's slice, bottle, process, and Wala..........done (after many hours).   

Although you can't tell from the picture because I shot into the light from the window, but there is nothing prettier than a bottle of pickled beets.....such a dark purplish/red color.  I even used the beet juice to touch up a white spot on a purplish/red dress I have.  Worked pretty good, too.

Just before putting the beets into the oven, I went out to the garden and got some lettuce, spinach, a potato, and an onion while my husband brought in some zucchini, tomatoes, and a cucumber.

This is where the good part comes in.  Two weeks ago, I purchased a new OXO Salad Spinner off E-bay.  I love E-bay....my shopping network.  Anyways, I love this spinner.  I don't know how I got along without it in the past.

You just put in a little lettuce, push the big black button on the top a few times and your lettuce is almost totally dry.  I'll tell you, if this little gadget broke tomorrow, I'd be on E-bay tomorrow purchasing another one....or I guess if I lived near a store, I'd head to Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Just that little bit of lettuce and spinach in the ice cream bucket gave me a 5 1/2" x 16 1/2" bowl full of salad greens.  I don't know what I am going to do when summer is over.  I love salads and I eat one most every single day......MMM-m-m-m!  That white thing laying by the side of my salad bowl is the top/lid to my salad spinner.  Thought I'd just add that to save the questions.

So, I started my day at 9am....bottled beets, made salad, and oh, forgot....I, with help from my husband, shelled another 5 gallon bucket of peas.  Alas, I finished at 9:45pm.  And yes, my feet and back were killing me but, it's all good.