Fall sports are in full swing at our house!
This means we are going non-stop from the moment the boys come home from school to the moment they go to bed. Dinner can be a stressful component of a busy night. Especially if the goal is to avoid fast food but stick to a budget.
I wanted to share some of our favorite slow cooker meals for fall. On the nights where we are strapped for time and sometimes eating before and after practice/games, the slow cooker can guarantee a warm delicious meal at any time!
First up, Slow Cooker Carnitas! I received a recipe from a friend a few years ago and put my own spin on it! I cannot remember for the life of me where the recipe came from, but I know it has been a hit ever since and my family requests this frequently.
You will need
Around 4 lbs. of pork shoulder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1TBSP Kosher Salt
1 tsp Cumin
½ TBSP Chili Powder
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
½ tsp Cinnamon
1 light beer (I usually grab a Corona or Dos Equis)
Combine spices, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes.
Coat the pork with seasoning mixture and all to sit on the meat for a couple of hours or overnight.
Add a bit of oil to a skillet and heat to med-high setting.
Remove pork from fridge and place in pan to brown. Once meat is browned on all sides, place into slow cooker.
Open the beer and pour into the hot pan to deglaze the bottom. Pour the liquid from the pan into the slow cover, over the meat.
Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or on the low setting for 8 hours.
When done, remove the lid and shred the meat with two forks. It should fall apart.
Set the oven to broil. Place the meat on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Allow the meat to crisp up over several minutes and then remove.
Serve with tortillas, cilantro, and onion!
With the left-over meat, you can create taco bowls or quesadillas when needed, throughout the week!
Next up, is Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings. I just made this two nights ago and it was a huge hit after soccer practice. My boys could not get enough of the biscuits on top!
You can grab the recipe and shopping list from Spend with Pennies here!!
As a healthier option to the condensed soup blends. You can briefly sauté celery with onion and fresh carrots. Use 2 tablespoons of butter to sauté the vegetables and add 1-1.5 tablespoons of flour to the veggies before adding to the slow cooker. Then add your chicken broth.
Finally, are Slow Cooker Meatballs!
You cannot go wrong with these. To avoid an additional cooking step, we like to make a quick meatball sub with ours. If you have time, you can always boil some pasta and serve the meatballs on top!
You can choose to use frozen or pre-made meatballs OR you can check out this recipe from Dinner at the Zoo here!!
I hope these recipes take some stress out of your evenings during the hustle and bustle of fall!
Enjoy!
