Best-Ever Beets

Growing up I did not like beets.  Lunchroom fights with what passed for vegetables usually included either beets or peas, flung from a spoon.  They didn't know how to fix them at all!  I learned this recipe from Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living.  I had this one.  It's been updated a bunch of times.  Anyway, I'm thankful that she encouraged me to try beets.  When we lived in Missouri, we had lots, and we used them well.  Since then, we've grown them in every garden we've had, and currently being "garden-less," this is one of the things we miss the most!  How times change!

Ingredients:
As many beets as you want to feed your family
Butter, melted
Green onions or chives, chopped
Garlic, minced
Salt

Method:
The key here is to make sure you leave about an inch of tops on the beets and not cut off the root.
Wash them up and get the dirt off.
Put them in a large enough pot that you can cover them with water by an inch or so.  They cook long enough that the water reduces.

Bring them to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and continue to boil them for about an hour.  It they are big ones, it'll take longer.  Stick a sharp pointed knife in them after an hour and if there's no crunchy resistance, they're ready.

Drain the water and then cover the beets with cold water to cool them down a bit.

Now, cut the tops and roots off of each beet and slip the skins.  They'll come right off.

Cut the beets into about 1/2" dice.

Melt enough butter in the bottom of the pot for the amount of beets you've cooked.
Add the onions or chives and garlic and saute for a bit.
Add the beets, toss them in the butter and onion and garlic and get them warmed back up.
Salt them to taste.

Voila!  Best-ever beets!!