Sunday

Slow-cooker borscht (recipe in the comments)
Pumpernickel bread
Green beans in tarragon onion butter

Hot tea
English toffee
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I feel like I start a lot of posts discussing some food item or preparation-style that M and I love (witness last night's risotto love) and today is no different. We love beets! With a passion! The color is fabulous and brightens winter fare and the flavor is unparalleled. We like them pickled, roasted, in risotto, straight out of the jar, and in vegetable melanges. I have been on the lookout for a borscht recipe for ages, but never found one that sounded good. Many are very complicated or simply very long to prepare. Other seem like they'd end up rather flavorless - not a good way to enjoy beets! Whole Foods, once again, comes to the rescue with a slow-cooker borscht recipe. This is easy to do, though you do have to add the cabbage about 45 minutes - 1 hour before the borscht is finished (meaning you have to be home to do so), but it's otherwise simple to prepare. The result is hearty without being heavy and highlights the wonderful beet flavor perfectly.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Beets, onion, potato (all halved); cabbage, dill
Time: 30 minutes (divided), plus 9 hours unattended
Make ahead: The whole plan

Reaction
J: "Beets me!"
M: "Da, Da,Da!"