Benny's Bean Salad

I made this bean salad for the first time, a few years ago. 

I was living on my own in Florida and had just started exploring the world of cooking for one. 

Although, ironically, you can feed a lot more than one person with this meal and there is no cooking involved.

The original recipe was called "Bob's Bean Salad" but I don't know Bob. My hamster, Benny, had just died at the time, so I named this bean salad in his honor. Still hungry? Good.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jar (12 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 can (12 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (12 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (12 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• feta cheese (for serving)
• For the dressing:
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/8 c. white or white wine vinegar
• 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss red bell pepper, onion, artichoke hearts, and beans together. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the salt, sugar, and vinegars together. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Adjust seasoning as desired.
3. Pour dressing over bean mixture, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Serve chilled with a sprinkle of feta cheese on top.

Enjoy.

<3 Katie

Art on a Budget

And no, you don't have to make it yourself. 

One of my favorite things to do is browse posters. I don't currently have the space or money to busy myself with furnishing a place (I'm currently between places) but I have made the most of my bedroom. You could also use calendar pictures, personal photographs (family, friends, nature, objects, colors), wrapping paper, fabric, personal art, etc. to fill your frames.

Framed posters are the cheapest way to incorporate art and add character to your place. You can find posters online (www.allposters.com kind of has it all) or in stores (Michaels, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, etc.) 

Here are a few random prints I picked out in about 30 seconds on allposters.com. There are TONS! And so many different categories...abstract, pop art, photography, landscapes, music, vintage, etc.

So you've found a print you love. Now, all you need is a frame. This is what will make your poster look polished and trick you and your guests in thinking you spent more money on it than you actually did. Allposters.com can do this for you. Framing can range in price, but especially at a place like Michaels, you can find some incredibly inexpensive frames that will fit your poster. Most posters are general sizes, but you could always trim it or find a frame with a mat or border. Don't custom frame a poster. That's just weird and probably not worth it.

A few months ago, I went to Michaels and spent about $25 TOTAL on two posters and frames to fit. Check it out:

Simple. Cheap. Cute.

And yes, that's my duck baby.

And above, I used a pretty floral calendar to fill these little frames (bought from Urban Outfitters, years ago.)

<3Katie