Halloween week is not the week to be ambitious. Between costumes, school parties, trick-or-treat logistics, and a bowl of candy that’s already half gone before the 31st, the last thing anyone needs is a complicated dinner plan. So the name of the game this week is simplicity.
One pork roast that becomes two dinners (loaded baked potatoes early in the week, quesadillas later), a 20-minute meatball dinner for the night you’re running behind, and a big pot of chili with cornbread you can make ahead, so it’s ready to go before the doorbell starts ringing. Seriously, we make it the day before Halloween basically every year and it has never let us down. Dan dan noodles are there for the cool evening when you want something cozy, and there’s a candy cookie bar recipe to put all that leftover Halloween candy to work.
Most of these meals share ingredients, so the grocery list stays short, and nothing here requires you to be a hero. Use what you have, skip what you don’t, and keep your energy for the costume competitions and last minute festivities.
DINNER #1: Crockpot Pulled Pork Potatoes | Total time: 8 hours | Serves 8-12 (see notes) | Mostly hands off
We think pulled pork is one of the easiest and best ways to do meat in a crock pot. You may have a pulled pork recipe that you prefer. Feel free to use that, but this one works like a charm if you don’t have a recipe you typically follow. You are making enough pulled pork for another meal later in the week. It will seem like a lot of food, but remember that we are using it again! This week we are recommending that you take just the pulled pork recipe from here and serve it over baked potatoes instead of in bowl form, but do whatever you like! We love The Pioneer Woman’s oven method, but we’ve also been known to microwave a potato in a pinch and it works just as well on a busy night.
Notes:
Taste it: The pork needs a little extra salt for our preference so once you mix the juice in, taste it. If it’s a little bland to you add salt.
Work Ahead: You will have a ton of leftovers from the pork. Just throw it in a container in the fridge and we will use it again later.
Quantities: This recipe makes enough for 8-12, it should work perfectly if you are making both recipes for 4-5 people; however, if you are cooking for 2 you will have leftovers. The pork freezes beautifully for another day (or find a friend and drop off dinner!).
If you can’t find a boneless pork butt: Bone in works just fine for the same recipe. It will just weigh a little more!
