Summertime Salads

I love to go visit someone who is creative with salads! Don't you just envy when they take odds and ends out of the fridge and come up with a "WOW" salad? I have a friend Kathy who has her "basic salad fixings" and then just keeps throwing something new in each time. I never even knew that she started with the same stuff :) So here we go, salads, salads and more salads. I'll add some each day--maybe you can take an idea and come up with something even better.

Three Bean and Cheddar Salad
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15-ounce) can black beans 1 large tomato
4 ounces Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
1/2 cup garlic croutons

Combine all cans of beans in colander, rinse, drain and put in large bowl. Chop tomato. Slice Cheddar into 1/4 inch cubes. Add Cheddar cubes, chopped tomato and ranch salad dressing to bean mixture, toss well. Stir in black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Arrange lettuce leaves on individual salad places, top with bean mixture and sprinkle evenly with garlic croutons.