In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine T cup each olive oil and cider vinegar, ½ cup finely minced shallots, 2 Tbsp sugar (heaping if you like it sweet), a little salt, and lots of fresh ground pepper. Shake well.

Combine 1 to 1½ cups (or 1 can) each of 4 kinds of cooked beans: green string beans, yellow wax beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans). Toss with dressing and refrigerate overnight or at least 2-3 hours. Stir or rotate a few times.

Boil until al dente approx 300 - 500g of medium egg noodles or small shells pasta. Do not overcook.
Cut a small head of broccoli - florets and tender parts of stem - into short thin pieces and steam lightly, just until color becomes a bright green, over the cooking pasta.
Cut 1 red bell pepper and a few thick slices of cheddar cheese into small (about ¼") pieces.
Toss the cooked pasta with a few spoon fulls of dressing then add broccoli, bell pepper and cheese and mix.

Serve bean salad spooned over noodles, or mix together just before serving.
Leftovers are equally wonderful, so make enough to ensure there will be leftovers.