This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDayGreats #CollectiveBias
You guys. Football. Am I right?! I'm so excited for fall and football. I love watching our team play but can I be honest? I get equally excited about preparing delicious game day treats. And win or lose (or star quarterback suspended from the game!!!!) the snacks never let me down. ;) Football and food just bring people together. Whether it's having my mom join us for game night or hosting a watch party, the key is having good eats on hand.
When I had the chance to create a game day snack with Mondelez, I knew I'd use TRISCUIT crackers. Besides the fact that they are hearty and taste great, I love that they have just 3 ingredients. I grabbed my TRISCUIT crackers and Coca-Cola from Kroger. I've been a Coca-Cola fan since I did a blind taste test in a grocery store when I was younger. I was so intrigued that I could tell the difference between Coca-Cola and its competitor. Oh to be young again!
The best thing about this recipe is that it's super easy thanks to tossing ingredients into a slow cooker and pairing it with store bought products. These pulled pork bites combine crunchy TRISCUIT crackers, slow-cooked smoky pulled pork, and creamy pepper jack cheese. So good. Here's how to make them:
Ingredients
-Pulled Pork
1 whole large onion
1 pork shoulder (5-7 lbs)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp of garlic powder (I just wing it but I love garlic)
2 20 oz bottles of Coca-Cola
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 to one 11 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
-TRISCUIT crackers
-1 8oz block of Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
-Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional)
Instructions:
Generously season your pork with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Slice the onion and put it in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the onions.
Pour your Coca-Cola into the slow cooker. Add the brown sugar to the juice. Pour your can of peppers on top of the pork. These peppers are hot! If you only want a tad of spice, use half the can. I usually use the entire can if my pork is 7 lbs or more but I like heat. Don't substitute this ingredient. The smoky flavor makes this dish! You may need to turn your pork once depending on its size and the size of your slow cooker.
Cook on low for at least 8 hours. Don't scrimp on time- you want super-tender-falling-apart-goodness.
At the end, take it out, put it on a cutting board, and use forks to shred it. It should easily shred. If not, it needs more time. At this point, you can strain the fat off of the broth in your slow cooker. Once the pork is shredded you can place it back into the slow cooker and keep it warm. You won't need all of the pork to make these bites but use the leftovers for sandwiches or tacos (or serve all three)!
Make your Pulled Pork Bites:
To make the bites, grate your pepper jack cheese. Side note- does a pile of cheese make anyone else very happy? No? Just me? Next, take a bowl full (about 2 cups) of pork out of the crockpot. Drain the juice using a small colander (You don't want it too soggy). Cut the pork so that it will fit atop a TRISCUIT. Using tongs, grab a bit of pork, place on a TRISCUIT and top with the shredded cheese. Optional: Top with your favorite BBQ sauce. I tried them with and without. The flavors of the crackers, cheese, and pork were enough for me but if you want sweetness, a little BBQ sauce might do the trick!
I reaaallly love these! I like to graze during game night. But making lots of snacks gets in the way of watching the game. Keeping it simple and making a few heavy appetizers can do the trick. These are like mini pulled pork sandwiches but way more fun! For more recipes and ideas, visit Kroger's site. And use this store locator to find a Kroger banner store near you.
When I had the chance to create a game day snack with Mondelez, I knew I'd use TRISCUIT crackers. Besides the fact that they are hearty and taste great, I love that they have just 3 ingredients. I grabbed my TRISCUIT crackers and Coca-Cola from Kroger. I've been a Coca-Cola fan since I did a blind taste test in a grocery store when I was younger. I was so intrigued that I could tell the difference between Coca-Cola and its competitor. Oh to be young again!
The best thing about this recipe is that it's super easy thanks to tossing ingredients into a slow cooker and pairing it with store bought products. These pulled pork bites combine crunchy TRISCUIT crackers, slow-cooked smoky pulled pork, and creamy pepper jack cheese. So good. Here's how to make them:
-Pulled Pork
1 whole large onion
1 pork shoulder (5-7 lbs)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp of garlic powder (I just wing it but I love garlic)
2 20 oz bottles of Coca-Cola
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 to one 11 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
-TRISCUIT crackers
-1 8oz block of Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
-Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional)
Instructions:
Generously season your pork with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Slice the onion and put it in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the onions.
Pour your Coca-Cola into the slow cooker. Add the brown sugar to the juice. Pour your can of peppers on top of the pork. These peppers are hot! If you only want a tad of spice, use half the can. I usually use the entire can if my pork is 7 lbs or more but I like heat. Don't substitute this ingredient. The smoky flavor makes this dish! You may need to turn your pork once depending on its size and the size of your slow cooker.
Cook on low for at least 8 hours. Don't scrimp on time- you want super-tender-falling-apart-goodness.
At the end, take it out, put it on a cutting board, and use forks to shred it. It should easily shred. If not, it needs more time. At this point, you can strain the fat off of the broth in your slow cooker. Once the pork is shredded you can place it back into the slow cooker and keep it warm. You won't need all of the pork to make these bites but use the leftovers for sandwiches or tacos (or serve all three)!
Make your Pulled Pork Bites:
To make the bites, grate your pepper jack cheese. Side note- does a pile of cheese make anyone else very happy? No? Just me? Next, take a bowl full (about 2 cups) of pork out of the crockpot. Drain the juice using a small colander (You don't want it too soggy). Cut the pork so that it will fit atop a TRISCUIT. Using tongs, grab a bit of pork, place on a TRISCUIT and top with the shredded cheese. Optional: Top with your favorite BBQ sauce. I tried them with and without. The flavors of the crackers, cheese, and pork were enough for me but if you want sweetness, a little BBQ sauce might do the trick!
Serve with cold Coca-Cola for a tasty combo.
I reaaallly love these! I like to graze during game night. But making lots of snacks gets in the way of watching the game. Keeping it simple and making a few heavy appetizers can do the trick. These are like mini pulled pork sandwiches but way more fun! For more recipes and ideas, visit Kroger's site. And use this store locator to find a Kroger banner store near you.
What are your favorite game night eats? Join the conversation below!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias
Barely a blog post but I thought I'd swing by with this look for less. The other day I was strolling past Z Gallerie and noticed this beauty in the window.
I really need throw pillows for the sofa but didn't have time to pop in. When I kept thinking about it later, I had to find its price. And boy was I saddened at its $80 price tag. Gulp.
Today, as I was about to toss the West Elm mailer in the trash without even looking at it, I decided to thumb through it real quick. And noticed this pillow for half the price. Fate? I think so.
I'm busy packing for our trip to New Hampshire and completing a project for a fun post you'll read next week. Till then, ciao beauties! Don't forget to enter yesterday's $100 Amazon Giveaway!
*CLOSED* Congrats Kim S.!
(But many of the fun looks we've curated below are still available!)
Back to school clothes shopping can be overwhelming. I try to avoid taking all three kiddos to any store ever (What? I'm fragile) so I do much of my shopping online. But over the months leading up to school, I see sales and cute styles everywhere but fail to take the time to pull it all together. This year I'm teaming up with some fantastic bloggers to share a $100 Amazon gift card giveaway so it was the perfect opportunity to pull together some super cute looks for Genevieve's back to school wardrobe. I made sure to include many items from Amazon, several styles, and lots of budget friendly options. Make sure to shop the sales and use promo codes, for the best deal! And don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end! Here's the first look (affiliate links included):
I have a gut. It's super annoying because my stomach was never my problem area (see the proof). And also because my "baby" is two. I'm working on not feeling the need to hide my imperfections but I think there's a happy spot between being ashamed of our bodies and being oblivious to how clothes flatter or flaunt our flaws. I've been told repeatedly that people "can't believe" I have a mom pooch (For the record, I hate that term but it's really the best way to describe it). I've even felt the need to show it off to prove I'm not just fishing for compliments. And then there's the awkward moment where a friend is like "Oh, you're right. It is ridiculous." haha. Rather than turn sideways bump-picture-style, I've decided to take the disbelief as a compliment. I'm very intentional about wearing shirts that flatter. Gone are the days of slim fitting tees and waist cinching garments. But that doesn't mean I'm going to don a baby doll tee every day either. Here are some of my favorite silhouettes and pieces (many of which I own a version of) to flatter plus an explanation of why they work.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RestEasyWithCVS #CollectiveBias
Here's the thing. I lived in my prior neighborhood for 11 years. I had zero friends there and my neighbors across the street wouldn't even make eye contact for me to say hello. When we moved, I vowed that would not happen again. Building community in my neighborhood is important to me. We don't all have to be best friends, but I'd love to occasionally discuss something other than the weather. Hashtag goals. When I got the opportunity to try the new Nestlé® Drumstick® S'Mores, I knew a little "It's Almost Summer" get together was in order. Here are 3 simple things you need to do to host your own get together and start to build community in your neighborhood.
I was offered a product or service in exchange for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the partnerships that make Pretty Real possible!
It's that time of year you guys. Spring. Spring means many amazing things. It means flowers, and warmer weather, and pedicures in preparation for sandals, and well, new life. You know what else it means? Spring cleaning. Maybe not as fun as a pedicure, but totally necessary. When it comes to spring cleaning, I have to admit, this meme resonates:
One way to get a jump on things is to hire someone. There I said it. If you know me or have read this blog for longer than 5 minutes, you know I'm pretty frugal. But having someone else clean my home for hours (which would take me at least double that with the constant interruptions of three kiddos) was like whoa. Whether you are looking for a regular housekeeping service, want to get a jump on spring cleaning, or can't think of what to ask for for Mother's Day (hello, gift idea!), Natural Home Detailing could be just what you're looking for. Natural Home Detailing is a fully bonded and insured Raleigh area cleaning company that provides affordable cleaning services using all natural eco-friendly cleaning products which are safe around kiddos and pets. They offer basic and deep cleaning packages to suit your needs.
It was refreshing to walk into a clean home that didn't smell of harsh chemicals. I have just begun to replace my standby cleaning products with chemical free products. Using this service was an opportunity to see firsthand that natural products really work. Whether you've been on a green streak for some time or are just beginning the process like myself, it's nice to know there are options available.
As for the actual service, they were prompt and professional. They worked with my specific concerns (using a feather duster around my painted kitchen cabinets for instance) and worked around my piles. Some of the areas I have a hard time with, like the shower door, were spotless. The kitchen in particular looked as good as new--the appliances looked like they did the day Home Depot delivered them! It really was such an amazing feeling to walk into a clean home with minimal effort on my part. Those vacuum stripes are everything you guys! ;) If you're looking to give yourself a break for a once in a while treat or on the regular, I recommend Natural Home Detailing. Visit them on Facebook for more information.
Happy weekend! May it be filled with more fun, less housekeeping. ;)
For
snacks, I learned about a slew of healthy options to replace typical
go-tos. For instance instead of potato chips, try popcorn or instead of
pudding, try yogurt cups. Along those
lines, I replace sugary drinks with water or a juice drink. What I love about Capri Sun Organic is it’s a certified USDA Organic beverage made with 66% fruit juice. It contains
no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and no added sugar. Each serving contains ½ cup of fruit juice
which is the equivalent of 1 serving of fruit, according to US Dietary guidelines. It tastes yummy and is
affordable. It can be a challenge to balance better-for-you options with taste,
but since Capri Sun Organic is sweetened only with real fruit juice, it's one guilt-free option to have in my snack arsenal. Today I’m sharing my favorite snack hack recipes along
with a 10 tips to make snacking easier.
