This recipe has been around a long time. I have taken it to church potlucks a time or two. It's a recipe you can make ahead, when you have a little extra time in an evening before bedtime. When you work full time, planning is important to get everything done.

With a husband and four children to tend to, extra moments were precious. I remember thinking how great it would be to lie down for an afternoon nap with the bedroom door shut. That was a luxury I never had. There was always someone or something that needed tended to on my days off.

I did a load of laundry every evening. It was with a sigh of relief when the kids were bathed and in bed for the night. In the early days of television, with only three channels, ABC, CBS and NBC, there wasn't much to watch. Are you old enough to remember having to walk up to the television set and manually change channels? I do. I felt lazy when channel changers came into being. Did you feel that way? Nowadays, I am a dedicated channel surfer.

Wow! How did I get so far afield from Four Bean Salad? A few years ago I received black-eyed peas from the food commodities program. I am not a fan of this definitely Southern delicacy, but couldn't throw them away. Waste not, want not. The black-eyed peas went into my Four Bean Salad. They are hidden there in plain sight.

FOUR BEAN SALAD
16-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
16-oz can Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

In large bowl combine all veggies. In small bowl, combine dressing: white vinegar, sugar, and oil. Mix well. Add to bean mixture. Toss to coat. Marinate several hours or overnight to blend flavors. Use any canned beans you have. Whole kernel corn is good, too. If too dry, add more dressing. Garnish any way you please. Diced Roma tomatoes or sliced hard boiled eggs make a pretty topping.