All You Need for a Quick Super Bowl Menu Is a Can of Beans

I want to be a better hostess than I actually am. Doesn't everyone feel that way? However if there's one time of year where a host or hostess should spend less time thinking about the food, it's Super Bowl Sunday. If you're not indulging in some of America's finest game day food, like buffalo chicken wings or potato skins, then you might not be living your Super Bowl life to the fullest. However, you don't want to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen because you want to watch the game, and ordering in can get expensive, fast. So what are you to do? Well, Bush's Beans is the answer.

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Now, let's talk beans. What if I told you that you could have an entire Super Bowl menu that's easy to make, serve, and eat — oh, and every recipe has beans. That's right, even dessert. I tested a few recipes this week from Bush's and I think that together, we put together one heckuva menu to watch the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII.

To Start: Cauliflower-Bean Smash

Now, this could be eaten as a side dish, the way I enjoyed it on the first night for dinner. Or this could also be eaten as a dip, which is the second way I enjoyed it the following night. From Sarah-Jane Bedwell, RD, LDN. for Bush's Beans, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (15-ounces) BUSH's Reduced Sodium Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (Reserve 1 Tbsp of liquid from the can)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup your favorite salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread cauliflower florets and garlic cloves evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.

Place the hot cauliflower and garlic in a food processor when removed from the oven. Add the butter, cream cheese, beans, liquid from the can, kosher salt, and yogurt. Pulse and process until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.

Serve in a bowl, topped with a dollop of salsa in the center. Enjoy with crackers, chips, or tortilla chips.

To Start: Black Bean Crisps

Bush's Black Bean Crisps were developed by Chef Jeffrey Saad and I am here to tell you that they are delicious and simple. The above photo is during the mixing process, and there is no after photo because honestly, we ate them all immediately. Here's what you need to know.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15-ounces each) BUSH's Reduced Sodium Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese (You can sub in another hard cheese, like manchego or asiago)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl after draining and rinsing the beans. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Coat the pan evenly with oil. Using a rubber spatula, add enough of the mixture to cover two-thirds of the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Don't touch or fiddle with it! Let the cheese and beans crisp nicely. The mixture will spread as the cheese melts and the beans begin to heat through. Let cool and remove with a spatula. I let mine sit out for about an hour before trying them, and this was the best way to enjoy them. They become deliciously thin and crisp and make the perfect topping for your next recipe.

The Main Event: Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili

A time-honored recipe in my household, this Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili uses great northern beans, Bush's of course. Let this simmer low and slow the night before. It'll finish cooking near morning, but by the time the big game rolls around, the flavors will be perfectly blended and delicious.

Turn your slow cooker onto Low for 30 minutes to reheat, or you can choose your Warm setting and let it slowly come back to temperature during the day. Serve topped with the leftover Black Bean Crisps (if there are any, that is. Better make an extra batch!) Find the recipe here.

The Sweet Treats: Pinto Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies

You might be skeptical, and that's fair because I was, too. While I've made avocado brownies before, beans threw me for a loop in dessert recipes. However, I put my reservations aside and I'm here to say that these cookies are almost better than cookies. If a muffin top, a pancake, and a cookie had a baby, these would be it. Chef Jeffrey Saad would never leave you astray.

While the original recipe calls for caramel, which I did try, I found that the chocolate chip version was just easier to make quickly instead of babysitting caramel at the stove. And that's why this recipe is perfect for Super Bowl Sunday.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 can (16-ounces) Bush's Reduced Sodium Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Puree beans in a food processor and set aside. Mix the flour and baking soda together and set aside. In a different bowl, cream the butter and sugars for 2 minutes on medium speed Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time.

Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Place about 2 tablespoon-sized dollops of batter onto the baking sheets. You'll make about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Now that's cool beans, y'all.

Looking for a drink for your Super Bowl party? Check out our Apple Pie Moonshine Punch!

Watch: How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine Punch