Simple, Satisfying Meals for the New Year

(Family Features) While you’re easing your family back into routines in the new year, simple, wholesome meals can help you stretch your grocery dollars further and find your rhythm in the kitchen again. Satisfying and approachable recipes that come together quickly using a dependable base ingredient like beans are resonating with home cooks, helping take the pressure out of cooking. Grown, cooked and canned in America, Bush’s Recipe Beans add plant-based protein and fiber to any dish, making it easy to achieve new year’s goals while bringing flavorful meals with high-quality ingredients to the table. For a warm, colorful way to start your morning without spending extra time in the kitchen, consider this Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl, which satisfies both eyes and stomachs through a combination of black beans, eggs and sauteed vegetables. Or put a Mediterranean twist on lunch and dinner with this Greek Dense Bean Salad, a bright, fresh dish that includes chick peas and cannellini beans. Visit bushbeans.com for more meal ideas that help you cook more, spend less and gather with loved ones.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 2

• 2          tablespoons olive oil
• 1          small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1          small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 2          cups cooked sweet potatoes
• 1          can (15 ounces) Bush’s Black Beans, drained
• 1          teaspoon chili powder
• 2          fried eggs
• 1          avocado, sliced
• cotija cheese, crumbled
• lime wedges, for serving

1. In large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are softened, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Add sweet potatoes, black beans and chili powder; stir to combine. Cook until potatoes and beans are warmed through, 4-5 minutes.
3. Divide bean mixture between two bowls. Top each bowl with fried egg, avocado slices and crumbled cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

Greek Dense Bean Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes Servings: 6-8 Dressing:

• 1/4       cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2          tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1          tablespoon lemon juice
• 1          teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1          garlic clove, minced
• 1          teaspoon dried oregano
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1/2       cup plain yogurt
• 1/4       cucumber, grated, excess water drained
• 2          teaspoons lemon juice
• 2          teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2       teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2          teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1          can (16 ounces) Bush’s Chick Peas, drained and rinsed
• 1          can (15 1/2 ounces) Bush’s Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1          cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2       cup red onion, diced
• 1          cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/2       cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2       cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4       cup fresh parsley, chopped
•             Greek dressing (directions below)
• 1          cup tzatziki sauce (directions below)
• chicken skewers (optional), for serving

1. To make dressing: In food processor or blender, blend olive oil; red wine vinegar; lemon juice; Dijon mustard; garlic; oregano; and salt and pepper, to taste, until well combined. Set aside.
2. To make tzatziki sauce: In bowl, stir yogurt; cucumber; lemon juice; olive oil; garlic; dill; and salt and pepper, to taste, until well combined. Set aside.
3. To make salad: In large bowl, combine chick peas, cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and parsley; toss with dressing.
4. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve with chicken skewers, if desired.
5. Chef’s tip: Store leftover tzatziki sauce separate from salad.

SOURCE:

Last Updated on January 15, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Easy Bites for the Big Game

(Family Features) Whether you’re tailgating with friends or hosting a watch party at home, every football fan needs a game plan to crunch, dip and cheer their way through opening kickoff, halftime and right down to the final play of the game. Some of the best game day grub is hearty and savory but adding layers of flavor and texture can take recipes to the next level. For example, these Burger Bowls feature all the classic ingredients of a great burger, just without the bun. A tasty option for gluten-free guests or those who are cutting carbs, the bowls are made with Dandy Iceberg Lettuce from Duda Farm Fresh Foods, which boasts a legacy of quality, innovation and consistency in fresh produce cultivation since 1926. Pulled pork, another tailgating treasure, gets an instant upgrade with the crunch of a fresh coleslaw topper and zesty pickled celery and jalapenos on the side. The winning play is to use crisp, fresh celery for the best flavors and a satisfying crunch with every bite. Since celery is 95% water and high in fiber, it leaves fans feeling comfortably full and ready to root for their favorite team. This season, keep your snacks fresh and healthy while winning prizes like product coupons and gift cards to stock up for the next game through the Dip It to Win It Sweepstakes. Visit dudafresh.com to learn more and find additional game day recipes.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pickled Celery and Jalapenos

Recipe courtesy of The Adventure Bite Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 hours Servings: 9-10

• 4 1/2    pounds pork shoulder or Boston butt
• 26        ounces sweet and spicy barbecue sauce
• 1/2       tablespoon garlic
• 1/2       tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
•             fresh sandwich buns
•             Dandy Celery, cut and pickled
•             jalapenos
•             coleslaw (optional)
•             potato salad (optional)
•             baked beans (optional)

1. Place pork in slow cooker.
2. Mix barbecue sauce, garlic and pepper. Pour over pork shoulder.
3. Cook on low 8 1/2-10 hours or high 6-7 hours.
4. Shred meat and serve on buns with pickled celery and jalapenos. Top with coleslaw, if desired. Serve with potato salad or baked beans, if desired.

Burger Bowls

Recipe courtesy of Casa de Crews Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 4 Burger Bowls:

• 2          cups French fries, homemade or frozen
• 2          tablespoons olive oil
• 1          small yellow onion, diced
• 1          pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1          teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1          teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2       teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2       teaspoon salt
• 1/2       teaspoon black pepper
• Dandy Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
• 2-3       Roma tomatoes, diced
• pickle chips or spears, chopped
• cheddar cheese, shredded

Burger Sauce:

• 1/3       cup mayonnaise
• 2          tablespoons ketchup
• 1          tablespoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
• 1          tablespoon pickle juice
• 1          teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1          teaspoon onion powder
• 1          teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2       teaspoon smoked paprika

1. To make burger bowls: Cook French fries according to package directions.
2. In medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add ground beef to skillet, breaking up meat with spatula. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper; brown until cooked through. Drain and discard excess liquid and grease.
3. To make burger sauce: In jar, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika well to combine.
4. Assemble bowls with layer of shredded lettuce, 3-4 ounces ground beef, diced tomatoes, pickles, cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup fries.
5. Drizzle with burger sauce and mix well.
6. Tip: Burger sauce can be made in advance and stored in refrigerator in jar with airtight lid.

Easy Bites for the Big Game

SOURCE: Duda Farm Fresh Foods

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Papa Johns and Google Cloud Reimagine the Future of Food Ordering to Better Serve Customers

Papa Johns is betting big on AI-powered convenience.

At NRF 2026 in New York, the pizza chain announced a major transformation of its digital ordering experience—aimed at delivering faster ordering, improved accuracy, and real-time personalization for its 150 million-plus customers worldwide. The update is powered by Google Cloud’s newly expanded AI solution, the Food Ordering agent, part of Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience. The key takeaway: Papa Johns is the first restaurant brand to bring these new omnichannel ordering capabilities to market—moving beyond basic chatbots and into what Google Cloud calls the era of agentic commerce, where AI doesn’t just answer questions, it actively completes tasks and improves outcomes.

From chatbot to “agentic” ordering

Food Ordering agent is designed to unify voice and text ordering across the places customers already interact with the brand—without forcing them to repeat themselves or start over when they switch channels. Instead of treating app ordering, phone ordering, kiosks, and in-car systems as separate experiences, the platform supports high-quality voice AI agents across:

• Mobile apps
• Websites
• Telephones
• Kiosks
• In-car systems

This is a notable shift from earlier AI deployments that focused heavily on drive-thru automation. Here, the goal is a single, consistent ordering experience where customers can order how they want, where they want, with less friction.

What Papa Johns is building with Google Cloud

Papa Johns says the new system is designed to make ordering “faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.” The company’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Kevin Vasconi, framed it as more than a product refresh.

“Papa Johns is a digitally-driven business and, as such, one of our strategic priorities is investing in our technology to deliver a more seamless experience across our assets and owned channels, better connect with our customers, and support greater efficiency across our operations by leveraging data and AI,” Vasconi said. “We’re using Google Cloud’s Food Ordering agent to reimagine what’s possible for our customers. This isn’t just an app update; it’s a fundamental shift in how our customers interact with our brand digitally, making it faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.”

The new capabilities focus on three areas that tend to create the most friction in food ordering: deals, complex orders, and repeat purchases.

Intelligent Deal Wizard: fewer abandoned carts, more confidence

One of the most common reasons customers abandon carts is uncertainty—Did I pick the best deal? Is there a better promo code? Papa Johns’ Intelligent Deal Wizard is positioned as a personal concierge that automatically applies the best value combinations. The benefit is twofold:

• Customers spend less time hunting for discounts
• Papa Johns reduces cart abandonment and builds loyalty through instant value

In short: the system is designed to help customers feel like they’re getting the best price without extra steps.

Advanced Voice & Group Ordering: making complex orders easier

Group orders are where ordering systems often break down: multiple people, multiple changes, special instructions, and constant edits. Papa Johns’ Advanced Voice & Group Ordering is built to capture that revenue without requiring human intervention. By handling natural language nuances and real-time modifications, the system aims to improve order accuracy even when the request is complicated—exactly the kind of scenario where mistakes can lead to refunds, remakes, and lost customers.

No-tap reordering for Papa Rewards customers

Pizza ordering is often habitual. Many customers reorder the same items, especially loyal customers. With the new experience, the agent can identify returning Papa Rewards members and proactively ask if they want to reorder their most recent purchase. That no-tap flow matters because it shortens the distance between intent and checkout—turning a routine craving into a completed order in seconds.

Why it matters: omnichannel is now the expectation

Google Cloud’s Carrie Tharp, vice president of global solutions and industries, described the shift as a move beyond the chatbot era.

“The retail industry is entering the era of agentic commerce, where AI is an engine for business value,” Tharp said. “By being the first to deploy our omnichannel Food Ordering agent, Papa Johns is moving beyond the chatbot era to create a fluid, intelligent experience that meets hungry customers wherever they are, whether they are in their car, on an app, or at a kiosk.”

That’s the core point: customers don’t think in channels. They think in outcomes.

• Ordering hands-free while driving
• Reordering in one step from the couch
• Using a kiosk quickly while picking up

If the experience is inconsistent, slow, or confusing, customers bounce. If it’s fast and accurate, they come back.

What’s next

Papa Johns will showcase the technology at the Google Cloud booth 5507 at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in NYC, offering live demos to attendees. The company expects to roll out these capabilities to customers nationwide by the end of 2026.

About Papa Johns

Papa John’s International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) opened in 1984 with one goal: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. Papa Johns says it uses high-quality ingredients, including fresh, never frozen original dough made with six ingredients, real mozzarella cheese, and vine-ripened tomato sauce. The company operates more than 6,000 restaurants across approximately 50 countries and territories.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud provides AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools, offering an integrated AI stack built on planet-scale infrastructure and custom-built chips. Organizations in more than 200 countries and territories use Google Cloud as a technology partner.

Resources

• Papa Johns (Official Site)
• Google Cloud (Official Site)

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