Favorite Recipes from Boenker XMAS Party

My husband and I have hosted a Christmas party for the last four years and every year I try to step it up with the food. By far the most popular items from this years party were actually the two easiest to prepare. Slow cooker meatballs and bacon wrapped tater tots were definitely the winners. Enjoy the recipes below!

BBQ Meatballs

These slow cooker meatballs couldn't be ANY easier, you literally buy a bag of frozen meatballs then dump them in the slow cooker with your favorite barbecue sauce and some ketchup. How easy is that?! These are always a HUGE crowd pleaser. 

BBQ Meatballs

Prep Time:
2 Min

Cook Time:
4 Hrs

Ready In:
4 Hrs 2 Min

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen meatballs
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Directions

1. Place prepared meatballs, barbecue sauce, and ketchup in a slow cooker. Let cook on a low heat for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

These bacon wrapped tater tots were SO good and such a hit with all the men at the party. They are a cinch to make but do require some time so be aware of that. I had a great helper in the kitchen (Thanks Grace!) before our party who started to help me assemble these! I will definitely be making these again. And while the picture above shows a dipping sauce with these, I just served them without one.

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Makes 4 appetizer servings

16 frozen tater tots

8 slices THIN bacon, cut in half sideways

2 Tbsp turbinado sugar 

1 tsp season salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Mix the sugar, salt and cayenne pepper together thoroughly.

Sprinkle about half of the rub on top of the bacon strips.

Top each half strip with 1 tot and roll up. TIP: If you have a more fatty end, start on the leaner end so the fat will be on the outside and can render easier. 

Place seam side down on a raised rack or a tray. The raised rack works better because it lets the hot air circulate around all edges. Also, it keeps the tot from sitting in oil once the bacon fat starts to render down.

Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning mix over the assembled tots.

Preheat your oven or grill to 450f. The grill should be set up for indirect heat so the tray or rack is not over direct heat. I used my Big Green Egg, plate setter legs up. (On a standard charcoal grill, push your hot coals to one side, an aluminum drip pan next to them and cook the tots over the drip pan.)

Cook the bacon snuggled tots until the bacon turns crispy, about 20 minutes. 

Don't be alarmed if the bacon goes “boa constrictor” on a few of your tots and squeezes the heck out of them. Those still taste great. 

Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce, spicy ketchup, or other dipping sauce.

***Notes - The only changes I made is that I used brown sugar instead of turbinado sugar. Also, I would highly suggest if cooking these in an oven to place the tots on top of a cooling rack that is placed on top of a cookie sheet, a rimmed cookie sheet will work best so the bacon grease won't spill when taking these out of the oven.