Super Bowl 54 Crockpot-A-Palooza

We started this blog in August before the start of the 2019 NFL season and it feels really good to have survived our first season and on Sunday, our first Super Bowl! To celebrate a season of fun, food, and frustration, we are giving you a trio of our all-star crockpot recipes for Super Bowl Sunday! I love a crockpot moment on a football Sunday, but even more so on Super Bowl Sunday. The reason? Well, Super Bowl Sunday should be your BEST spread of the year (see our food section for recipe inspo), so you need time to prep your cheese and meat board, prepare your Bob’s Taco Dip or Buffalo Chicken Dip, and get your wings or drums either on the warmer or in the oven! Sides, apps, desserts, snacks, and drinks will be occupying your entire afternoon! The crockpot will provide you a nice, hearty main course you don’t have to think about until kickoff or get up to check on during the overhyped but sometimes great TV commercials. Crockpot-A-Palooza includes Turkey Meatballs, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Chicken Tacos! All the recipes are adaptations from others we love, but feel free to add your own spin.

Crockpot Turkey Meatballs

I love Crockpot Turkey Meatballs because they make a great main course either on a hoagie roll with melted provolone and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top or by themselves (and they are even better the next day). This recipe is so simple and if ground turkey isn’t your thing, you can use ground beef too. The recipe calls for:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional, or 1 garlic clove)

Combine the ingredients above (I use my hands, but you can also use a wooden spoon) until the breadcrumbs and parmesan are nicely incorporated, but DO NOT overmix. Form the meat mixture into balls of your desired size and stick them on a baking sheet (pro-tip, use a non-stick spray otherwise they may be tough to remove) and bake at 350°F for 15 min. Move the meatballs into the crockpot, cover with sauce, and set the temperature to low for 8 hours! By kickoff, you will have a nice hot meatball sub! For a party, you can also serve these on slider rolls with provolone cheese for a more manageable bite-size snack!

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

I LOVE this recipe that I first saw while watching The Kitchen on the Food Network (my favorite FN show!) because the sauce is made in the crockpot while the meat cooks. I prefer my pulled pork as a slider but feel free to use any bread that speaks to you and your party needs. This recipe calls for:

• 4 lb. pork shoulder
• 12 oz. Dr. Pepper
• 3 tbsp yellow mustard
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Pepper

The key to this recipe lies in the first steps. Season your pork shoulder with a generous amount of kosher salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper on all sides. Sear each side of the seasoned pork shoulder in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, sealing in the moistness and seasoning! Move the pork shoulder to a plate where you can spread yellow mustard on the top. Transfer the pork shoulder to the crockpot and top with brown sugar and fill the crockpot with the Dr. Pepper. Set the temperature to low for 8 hours, and after the cooking is complete, remove the pork shoulder from the crockpot to shred in a separate bowl. At this point, you can add the cooking juices from the crockpot as your sauce (if you prefer a stickier and less thin sauce you can add your favorite BBQ sauce) and serve!

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

These are a weeknight favorite in my house because we love coming home to restaurant-style chicken tacos after a long day at work. Crockpot Chicken Tacos could also really give you a fun, flavorful option for Super Bowl Sunday especially if you’ve maxed out with wings or pulled crockpot meat you’ve been eating all season long. This recipe is the easiest and maybe most flavorful of them all AND you can add your flare in the form of your favorite type of salsa. This recipe calls for:

• Two large chicken breasts
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 16 oz of your favorite salsa
• Taco shells (soft or hard)

Toppings (these are up to you):

• Cheese
• Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Lettuce
• Onion
• Cilantro

To make this recipe, place the chicken breasts in the crockpot. Cover with seasoning (I use less than a full packet but that’s just me), add in the salsa, and I like to rinse the salsa jar with a little water to get all the salsa out and to add a little liquid to the crockpot. We’ve made this recipe with all types of salsas, one of our favorites was a peach mango habanero salsa, but a regular mild store brand salsa was still tasty! Load these tacos up with toppings and enjoy the big game!

Here’s to eating good and hoping for more plays like this come Sunday…

via GIPHY