Super Bowl's secret weapon: The slow cooker

I heard there's going to be a football game at the concert next week. True, it may be said that I'm not the biggest sports fan, but give me some black make-up and fuzzy legwarmers, and I play the part perfectly. Besides, who doesn't love a good Super Bowl spread?

We've all been there - ambitious Super Bowl spreads loaded with comfort foods. So Insta-worthy, so damn delicious. But the game runs long. Sliders get cold, wings get soggy. It happens to the best of us. Sports fans and/or selfless significant others cooking for them must wield the secret weapon: the slow-cooker. 

Plug in a slow-cooker, and your food stays fresh and piping hot until overtime. Below are some ideas for an easy but decadent spread that still has your favorite comfort foods. 

Build your own chili bowl

Make your favorite chili in the slow cooker, and stack some bowls beside it. But don't stop there! It's all about the mix-ins. A big bowl of tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped scallions are a few of many options your guests can customize with.

Pulled pork BBQ sliders

Who says you can't have fresh sliders throughout the game? Some pulled BBQ pork will simmer all day, and guests can stack them onto buns with fresh coleslaw and hot sauce.

Queso dip

Everyone loves queso. Even my foodiest of foodie friends can't say no to a melted block of Velveeta, which you can customize with hatch chilis, hot sauce, crumbled chorizo and more. Like the chili bowl, it goes great with tortilla chips, and you can lay them out with black beans, pico de gallo and jalapenos.

Fajita Tacos

Though the recipe won't start in the slow cooker, these fajita fillings can stay fresh all day once placed inside one. Grill chicken breasts and/or steak, then slice them into long, tortilla-size pieces. Pan sear red and green peppers with onions until a little crispy and caramelized, then place them in the slow cooker. Keep tortillas in a tortilla warmer, and lay out some cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream.

 And may the best team win!