Sometimes the universe just aligns, you know? Take, for instance, a week or so ago when my Facebook friend Susan Yee, an amazingly talented wedding photographer, updated her status and asked, "Does anybody in town cook?"

Oh, Hell Yeah.

Turns out Susan wants to branch out into food photography--not just the food itself, but the process. And I was just about ready to start cooking in my brand spanking new kitchen.

Saturday night I made fresh pizzas with a side dish of golden beet salad with garlic kale, and Susan was there, armed with her trusty Canon.

I had the beets from my CSA box. Prep is simple; chop off the leaf and root ends. Wrap all in one big sheet of foil. Roast at 375 for 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until they're able to be handled.

Meanwhile, slice up some garlic for the pizzas.

 Now that the beets can be handled without producing serious burns, just rub the skins away. They'll slip off like a sad pair of old socks that have lost their elastic.

Now, you could cube them by hand if you like, or you could whip out your trusty little Progressive cutter that you picked up at Costco recently. I opted for the latter. You start with slices, stack them in that little contraption on the left, push down, and voila!

We'll come back to the beets in a few minutes. Now it's time to start on the bunch of kale (also from the CSA box). Remove the central ribs and chop up the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

 It wouldn't be garlic kale without some smooshed up garlic from the mortar and pestle...

 Saute the kale along with the garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Turn down the heat, add a couple of tablespoons of water, and stick a lid on it. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Test for doneness with your teeth. That's the whole kale recipe.

Susan's leapt ahead there and is also showing the process of adding some lemon peel to the cubed beets (yes, I was multitasking as the kale cooked.)

 Remove kale from pan with tongs and arrange in a hollow circle on a pretty plate.

Mix up a simple vinaigrette with whatever you have around. I used hazelnut oil, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, and lemon juice. Toss. I just use my hands to toss most things...you may wish to use tongs.

Don't forget the goat cheese.

Place the tossed beets in the center of the kale.

For some sweet crunch, I topped the whole shebang with some cinnamon-sugared (or honey-roasted) nuts.

Serve to your hungy guests alongside fresh pizzas (also photographed, but that's a blog for another day) and some soft, oozy cheeses.

And remember to smile for the camera.

:-)