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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.

Remember the party I helped my sister-in-law plan back in June?  Well I owe you the rest of the details! My sister-in-law loves to cook and try new appetizers so rather than my usual dessert buffet, she did a full table of football themed snacks and appetizers.  These ideas are perfect for game day snacks or the Super Bowl.

I'm always saying I'm busy working on stuff and you probably don't believe me.  But every once in a while I actually follow up with an update.  This is one of those posts.  If you've taken more than a cursory glance at this blog then you know I love party planning.  I love the little details, the creativity involved, even the DIY part.  I really love it all!  Well that's not true--I don't love the food part. I love to cook for my family but cooking for a crowd has always stressed me out! That's why my sister-in-law and I make a perfect team.  She loves the food part and the cake part (she made Genevieve's Minnie Mouse cake). I love the theme part and the decorating part.