Beets with Orange Sauce

This is one sure way to get kids (and me) to eat freshly cooked beets. I can't remember which cook book I used to use for this recipe; this version comes from allrecipes.com.

8 medium beets 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch Dash pepper

1 cup orange juice 1 medium navel orange, sliced and halved (optional) 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

1.	Place beets in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and slice; place in a serving bowl and keep warm.
2.	In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and pepper; stir in orange juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in orange slices if desired and peel. Pour over beets.