© Yonel | Dreamstime.com

from Casey’s Café in Half Moon Bay

This white bean salad is a great one for any time of the year, but most fun to serve in this silly presentation. Nice centerpiece for your table … lots of smiles (once they realize it is only a salad).

Place in a mixing bowl:

6 cups of drained, large white beans (fresh cooked or canned)

1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Dressing ~ mix together and pour 1/2 over beans, toss to blend.

1 cup of olive oil

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Nature’s seasoning or another seasoned salt

2 tablespoons basil pesto

1/3 cup finely minced red onion

1/3 cup minced parsley

Make the salad a day ahead to let flavors come together. Add more dressing, if needed, before serving.

To make Distressed Pumpkin:

Buy a pumpkin that you can fit a plastic container in. The salad will go into the container and tastes better being separate.

Cut the top off the pumpkin, shaping if you wish. Make the cut large enough to set your container into the pumpkin. Clean out the pumpkin, removing seeds (save for toasting) and other parts

Carve a face into the pumpkin, or use press-in decorations available at many stores. I like to have the eyes rolled upward and the mouth looking surprised or unhappy. Keep the lid at the side of the pumpkin, while on display.