This post has been sponsored by Brooks®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m super excited to bring you two delicious recipes today, sharing some pretty innovative ways to use canned Chili Beans. I prefer using the Brooks chili beans because the flavors is DELICIOUS compared to most every other brand of canned beans I’ve ever tried. I do love incorporating canned beans into so many recipes, even a few I’ve shared on my blog. They’re an incredible source of protein, and as you will see in this post, incredibly versatile. From veggie burgers to cheesy chili mac, Brooks Beans are the right choice for all of your upcoming Fall and Winter recipes.
I was able to find all of my supplies at Meijer, where I used my mPerks savings.
When you make any recipe from scratch, you will be able to appreciate every nuance of flavor, and I’m sure these recipes will give you a new appreciation for Brooks Beans! They really complimented and enhanced all of the other ingredients extremely well!
They’re delicious served together, and will make the most delicious recipes at your next Game Day Potluck or gathering.
VEGETARIAN BEAN BURGERS (Makes 6 “Burgers”)
[Burger Ingredients]
2 Cans Brooks Chili Beans in Mild or Hot
½ of a Red Pepper - Chopped
½ of a Yellow Pepper – Chopped
1 Small Red Onion - Chopped
½ C. Breadcrumbs (or more if desired)
2 Eggs
Seasoning
Olive Oil To Cook + Skillet + Food Processor + 1/3 C. Measuring Cup
[Burger Instructions]
1.) In a food processor, add half of the chopped peppers + 2 cans Brooks Chili Beans.
2.) Process until fully smooth and there are no pieces of beans left. About 1 minute.
3.) Remove ingredients from food processor, and transfer into a medium mixing bowl.
4.) In the mixing bowl, add the rest of your chopped peppers, red onions, seasoning of choice, bread crumbs, and eggs. Stir to combine. Notice how this mixture actually begins to look like real “burgers” but with absolutely no grease at all!! Put into the freezer for about 10 minutes to make mixture easier to work with.
5.) Using rubber gloves, using a 1/3 Cup measuring cup, scoop heaping scoops of the mixture and use your hand to create patty shapes. Put them onto a foil-lined sheet pan to freeze for at least 1-2 hours before cooking. Below, you will see a photo of the frozen patties. Again, see how much they actually resemble traditional burgers?
6.) Now to cook your patties! Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to your skillet, and get the heat pretty high, right before the oil begins to sizzle. Add patties to the skillet, and place a lid on top, so the oil does not spatter out. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side, then very carefully, use a spatula to flip the patties. They must be cooked in olive oil on a higher heat so they do not fall apart.
See the beautiful, cooked patties below. I also made these veggie burgers another time and added two slices of cheese on each patty and oh my goodness, they were perfect! So, if you’re more of a cheeseburger person, definitely feel free to add slices of cheese on top during the last 1 minute of cooking patties.
Serve veggie bean burgers on Brioche buns, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and of course, pickles!
Brooks Chili Beans are a hometown favorite and have over 100 years of trusted leadership in everything chili!
And, the second recipe…
CHEESY CHILI MAC (Serves a LOT)
Amazing for a chilly Fall day, this is the perfect comfort food that will literally melt in your mouth because is so creamy and delicious. Basically we are going to make the Mac N Cheese separately from the chili, and then combine them in their delicious goodness!
[Cheesy Chili Mac Ingredients]
(MAC N CHEESE INGREDIENTS)
1 Tbsp Butter
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 (8 oz.) blocks of cheese (I used both pepper jack and sharp white cheddar)
½ C. Heavy Cream
4 C. Cooked Elbow Noodles
Salt
(CHILI INGREDIENTS)
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Can Brooks Chili Beans
Chili Seasoning
Salt
1 Small Red Onion
[Cheesy Chili Mac Instructions]
1.) Boil half of a box of large elbow noodles, and in a skillet, add Olive Oil, Garlic, and Onions. Once onions have softened, add 1 Lb. ground beef, and your desired seasonings. Cook meat until brown, turn off heat.
2.) Once noodles are done, strain them and set aside.
3.) In the skillet with the meat, add 1 can of diced tomatoes, ¼ C. Chili seasoning or more, dash of hot sauce, and 1 can of Brooks chili beans. Turn heat back up and cook everything a few minutes longer until combined. Turn off heat.
4.) In the pot you used to cook noodles, turn on heat and add butter, heavy cream, cheese, and a pinch of salt. Once everything is creamy and melted, then add noodles back to this pot and stir until combined.
5.) Almost done! Simply add Chili mixture into mac n cheese and stir to combine. I found that the best mixture ratio was about 4 Cups of the Mac N Cheese + 6 Cups of Chili. Serve with shredded cheese and soup crackers and enjoy!
