Apple and Beet Salad

1 1/2 cups cooked beets*
1 large golden delicious apple
1 stalk of celery
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
craisins (a handful)
1/2 cup seedless grapes (green or red), chopped in half

Dressing:
1 cup blackberry or raspberry jam
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
drizzle of olive oil
Stir in a small bowl, with a fork until mixed.

I know this seems so strange, a salad with beets in it? Is it a fruit salad? Well, I think of it as a red Waldorf salad. I think it works for some strange reason. If you don't love beets, don't bother with this one.
Homemade jam will be a lot softer than store bought, so you may need more olive oil, if you are using store bought jam. Why sugar? Jam has lots of sugar but I found the sugar helped take away a bit of that strong beet flavor that is wonderful but can be a bit overpowering in this dish. Try it and tell me if you have any ideas that would add to this one.
* My Mom has had me throwing my trimmed beets in, dirt and all, to the crockpot and cooking for several hours. It looks bad, but when they are cooked, you pull them out and slip the skins and they look gorgeous! It is a lot less messy, I think, than boiling and yes, you do have to clean your crockpot, but that's easy. Try it, it works.

The picture shows some big beet pieces.  Cut them smaller for your salad,  diced would be best.