Claudia's Kitchen-A Love for All Things Culinary

My sister's love for all things culinary began around the time she graduated from college. I was the one with little time to cook, little budget to add dry and wet goods to my pantry, especially since I shared kitchen space with assorted housemates, and zilch patience to follow recipe instructions.

Claudia on the other hand channeled her innate creative talents into cooking, researching recipes, reworking recipes and expanding her kitchen to include the herbs and vegetables growing in the organic garden a few feet from her kitchen door.

One of her recipes even found favor with a national magazine and was published. She collected cookbooks, all kinds and they overflow her bookshelves, some stuffed with recipes torn from the pages of the New York Times Food section.

Known for their wonderful bounty of delicious dishes, Claudia and husband Jim created their own cookbook one Christmas. Thoughtfully documented, they handpicked recipes enjoyed by family and friend's palates alike. So we  thought it only fitting to share snippets from this unique cookbook. Herewith a favorite recipe we all like, not totally Claudia's own recipe, but a revision of one she found in a magazine.

Triple Bean Salad

Time Factor: 30-an hour ahead to chill and meld flavors

Major Equipment: Colander or large mesh strainer for rinsing and draining beans, cutting board, knife, small mixing blowl, whisk, serving bowl.

Serves: 12 ( makes 6 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped Green Onions

1/2 cup 1/4" diced Green pepper

1/2 cup 1/4" diced Red Pepper

One 15.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained

One 15.5 oz can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and well drained

One 15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and well drained

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 reaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine green onions, green pepper, red pepper, chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil pepper, lemon juice and salt and pour over the bean mixture, stirring to coat. Cover and chill.

Origin: This is adapted from a reader's contribution published in the August 2003 issue of Cooking Light magazine. The reader was from Selinsgrove, PA and said that it was an attempt to recreate a salad served by a now defunct café in that town.