slow cooker carnitas sheet pan nachos

plus a gluten-free game day eats round up & the weekly 2-2-2

Happy Sunday and happy February! January felt like it lasted forever… I’m so excited to have a new month ahead full of new recipes. I have a brand new series launching tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled on IG, TikTok, and YouTube for that one! 💪

Today’s newsletter features the perfect game day recipe: slow cooker carnitas sheet pan nachos. This recipe puts a fun twist on a blog favorite: slow cooker carnitas tacos! It’s perfect for hosting or works as a fun family dinner idea to mix it up. Make things easy and prepare the carnitas ahead of time, then assemble the nachos right before enjoying. Feel free to lean in with the toppings on this one too, my favorites for flavor and color are green chiles, salsa, avocado, and pickled red onions!! You’ll want to save this one if you’re hosting for the Super Bowl this upcoming weekend.

If nachos aren’t your thing, keep scrolling for a round up of some more game day apps perfect for your Super Bowl party spread. Spinach and artichoke dip and hidden veggie queso are top tier dips I’ll personally be bringing to the table this year. And if you’re looking for some meal prep ideas for the week I’ve got you covered in the 2-2-2!

Of course I want to know if you make these nachos, but alsooo I have to know…

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slow cooker carnitas sheet pan nachos

serves 6-8 | prep time: 20 min | cook time: 5-8 hours (slow cooker)

INGREDIENTS

For the carnitas:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt

• juice of 1 orange (about 1/4 cup)

• juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

For the nachos:

• 14oz bag corn tortilla chips of choice

• 3 cups shredded cheese (a mix of cheddar and monterey jack recommended), or dairy-free cheese

• 1 cup diced tomatoes (drained if using jarred)

• 3/4 cup jarred sliced jalapeños, optional

For serving:

• Fresh chopped cilantro leaves

• 2-3 limes, quartered

• Optional additional toppings: sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, salsa, guacamole or avocado, green chiles, red or white onion, pickled onions

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the cumin, salt, oregano, chili powder, and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cover with the spice mix. Pour the orange juice and lime juice along the sides of the pork shoulder, careful to not pour directly onto the pork to prevent the spices from falling off. Add the onion and garlic to the liquid surrounding the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours. (You can also do this in a dutch oven; see below for instructions.)

When the pork is done cooking, use two forks to shred the meat directly in the slow cooker.

Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large sheet pan with parchment. Add about half of the tortilla chips to the sheet pan in a single layer. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese and half of the shredded pork. Repeat with the remaining chips, cheese, and pork to create a second layer. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes and sliced jalapeños evenly over top. Bake until the cheese is melted and the exposed pork is crispy on the outside, 13 to 15 minutes.

To serve, top with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and any other toppings of choice.

Stovetop instructions: Heat a 6-quart dutch oven over medium heat. Season and prepare the pork as directed. Add 2 to 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the pork is tender to a fork, 1½ to 2 hours. Shred and continue preparing as directed.

get the printable recipe and notes

• dairy-free butternut squash queso — blended cashews give this one the perfect texture

• twice baked buffalo potatoes — a game day classic, can’t go wrong with twice baked

• dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip — so creamy, you wouldn’t guess it’s DF!

• baked buffalo cauliflower — super simple ingredients + only 5 steps to make

• chicken pesto parm pull-apart sliders — can’t resist a good cheese pull

• chopped white bean Mediterranean-inspired salad — serve with chips like a dip

• chopped southwest black bean salad — another one that would work with chips!

• buffalo chicken dip — promise you’ll be the MVP of your game day party with this one

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what I’m prepping

1. sausage, potato, and chive breakfast burritos — new freezer friendly recipe from the February meal prep plan! these are the gluten-free tortillas I use.

2. sheet pan mediterranean-inspired chicken thighs — a high protein hit!! another one from this month’s meal prep plan that’ll become part of the dinner rotation.

what I’m loving

1. “Rest is Productive” sweatshirt — been living in this!! it’s my friend Angie from Healthful Radiance’s new merch and my new cozy fave😊

2. NFL sweatshirt — Abercrombie has the cutest NFL gear for all different team options & usually on sale! we have the Niners ones of course 😉

what I’m recommending

1. Fridge clean out — organizing the fridge is always my favorite task for feeling relaxed 😆 snag my organization essentials here!!

2. Crying in Hmart — keeping my new year’s resolution to read more & loving this memoir that so many of you recommended. are we in need of a book club?!

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🍓 send these chocolate strawberry overnight oats to your valentine

🌯 prep these breakfast burritos with me this week

🛒 your most common meal prep questions, answered

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If you make one (or all!!) of the recipes this week, leave a rating and review on my website & you’ll be entered to get a free month of the paid newsletter! All you have to do is leave your rating & review, then comment on this post letting me know you reviewed—it can be any recipe on the site! There will be 3 winners every month 💕

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I hope you all have a lovely week, and be sure to stay tuned over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to see what I have for y’all this upcoming week!

Much love,

Jenn