More than 50 locals flocked to the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St., Evanston Dec. 29 for an evening Kwanzaa celebration.

A pasta salad isn't too difficult. It's flexible and versatile. Eat it as a side dish or a main course. Serve it warm or cold. Use certain ingredients or leave them out.

This is a dish that my dad used to make for dinner all the time and I stole the recipe. It's something that I'll eat every day of the week, sometimes twice a day. It will feed a good group of people.

The Chicago area got socked again with a snowstorm Dec. 16 that quickly covered everything with several inches of snow.

I don't have the money to order food each week, but I do have a kitchen. So I've begun my Adventures in the Kitchen. I'll share my experiences step-by-step with the recipe and let you know how it tastes.