Posts tagged: Parties
Mojito Popsicles
Mojitos are a timeless summer cocktail in my book. The fresh minty flavor with a burst of lime juice makes mojitos a refreshing way to celebrate the end of a long day at the office. As we get further into August, the temperatures start to spike to all-time highs before the relief of the fall season sets in. With these high temperatures, the best solution for a cold cocktail is not to pack in the ice. It’s to turn it into a popsicle - mojito popsicles to be precise!
I’m sure you’ve caught our other cocktail popsicles this summer (piña colada and strawberry daiquiri!), and the mojito popsicles are yet another stroke of pure thirst-quenching genius. The mint simple syrup preserves that minty flavor you need to pair with the fresh lime juice and zest. You’ll find yourself saying “ahhhhhh” after every bite!
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water and mint leaves. Heat the mixture over high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Once the syrup reaches a boil, remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl that is easy to pour out of, combine lime juice, lime zest and rum. Strain the mint simple syrup into the bowl through a fine mesh strainer. Cool completely before pouring into the popsicle molds. Freeze for 1 hour. Add the popsicle sticks and continue to freeze until solid, approximately 6 to 8 hours.
Recipe & Photos by Meghan Bassett
What to Eat Before Drinking All Night on St. Patrick's Day
We're kind of obsessed with St. Patrick's Day this year. From Guinness Floats to Jameson, green beer to endless green shots, we know we'll be feeling the pain come Friday morning. That's why we're giving you a little two-part low down on how to avoid that hangover you are already dreading. So what should you eat before drinking all night on St. Patrick's Day? Let us break it down for ya. First of all, don't skip dinner and eat BEFORE you start drinking. That whole building a base layer for the booze to settle into only works if you're building it before the booze enters your system. Get that nosh in your stomach early so you can change the outcome of your all-night drinking binge.
Second, eat right and eat smart. The best thing to do to avoid feeling like death on March 18th is to eat these killer foods that'll get your mind and body right. Food really does counteract the effects of alcohol... who knew? - Spaghetti (or other carbs) - yep, carbo-load all night long baby. It's a real thing and it works. Try our Pull Apart Bacon Garlic Cheese Bread... - Chicken - protein-rich so it'll stay in ya longer and it will slow the blood alcohol level. That means you can drink longer and enjoy the entire night before you feel like passing out! Go for the small servings like a burrito bowl or even our delicious Sriracha Lime Baked Chicken Wings. - Avocado - protein + healthy fats will actually digest slower than carbs so whip out that guacamole like there's no tomorrow. - Low-fat yogurt - if you're worried about consuming too many calories on this delicious, boozy holiday, start off with some yogurt and granola. You'll get the healthy fats and vitamins in you before you go pigging out on beer and corned beef. - Water - this one's a no-brainer, but don't forget about it. When it comes to hangovers, water does a body good. Pro tip: always take a couple of ibuprofen and chug a gigantic glass of water before bed (or when you wake up with cotton mouth at 4AM). Thank us later.
If you do happen to skip dinner in all the craziness that is St. Patty's Day, never fear. Just load up on nuts and olives at the bar because they've got the fats and vitamins to help you out. Martini with 10 olives, anyone? Happy St. Patrick's Day! Stay tuned because we've got some more knowledge to drop on ya to fight that hellish hangover...
Photos by Meghan Bassett
Sriracha Lime Baked Chicken Wings
It's March and that means one thing in my foodie-obsessed brain - March Madness parties for days. That's right, that means chips and dip, guacamole, sliders, jalapeño poppers and, most importantly, crispy sticky chicken wings. Sriracha Lime Baked Chicken Wings, to be exact.
If you ever have a snack attack, March Madness-related or not, your next go-to recipe absolutely has to be these wings. They are baked to crispy perfection in the oven, and the sticky spicy and tangy glaze makes them positively finger-licking good. You'll need the wet wipes for these, folks.
The Sriracha and lime juice make this super simple glaze full of flavor that you simply can't find anywhere else. No need to go out for chicken wing perfection - time to stay in with your friends and family watching the next March madness game, or just enjoying a leisurely spring afternoon with a couple of hearty beers.
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 5 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once melted, whisk in 1 Tbsp flour and brown for approximately 1 minutes. Add in the hoisin sauce, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice, stirring to combine. The mixture should become nice and thick pretty quickly, in less than a minute. In a large bowl, combine the chicken wings, 2 Tbsp melted butter, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the wings evenly.
Add the wings in an even layer to the lined baking sheet.
Brush the wings with a layer of glaze. Bake the wings for 25 minutes, turning them over halfway through and adding another coat of glaze. After 25 minutes are up, brush the wings with a final layer of glaze and broil for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
Recipe & photos by Meghan Bassett
Pull Apart Bacon Garlic Cheese Bread
I'm about to blow your minds with some serious bacon and cheese action. You may think that it couldn't get any better than the fried mac n cheese we busted out earlier this week, but we just outdid ourselves. Yet again.
Pull apart breads are my new favorite recipe to whip out for a party, especially a huge spread like the one I'm hosting on Super Bowl Sunday in a couple weeks. This bread is so ridiculously simple, there's really no excuse for you to NOT make it. In about 5 minutes of prep time, you'll be a hot 15 minutes away from a cheesy, bacon-packed mess of a bread that everyone will gladly get messy for. Just take a gander at that cheese....
Ok one more... All that cheese and bacon stuffed into the cracks of that warm, crusty bread...
Enough torture, I promise. But seriously, can't you just taste the deliciousness that this cheesy, bacon bite must pack? Are you hungry yet?
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme and oregano. In another small bowl, combine the two cheeses and bacon. Gently toss to combine.
Using a serrated knife, cut the bread on a diagonal angle into 1-inch diamond shapes, making sure you don’t slice all the way through the loaf of bread.
Gently open up the cracks with your fingers. Drizzle each with a tsp of the butter mixture and a pinch of the cheese and bacon mix.
Wrap the loaf of bread in aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese has mostly melted. Remove from the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, directly on the rack. Serve immediately.
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Pig of the Month Applewood Smoked Maple Bacon
Recipe & Photos by Meghan Bassett
Fried Bacon Mac n Cheese Bites
With the playoffs all wrapped up, that only means one thing. Time to get ready for the SUPER BOWL! 
Since this year is the big number 50 for the Super Bowl, I'm going ALL out with the Super Bowl spread. Instead of the typical chips and dip, I'm opting to bring in the big guns with these golden, delicious fried bacon mac n cheese bites. They are crispy on the outside and warm, cheesy and bacon-packed on the inside.
The best part of this recipe is that you can simply use a few cups of leftover mac and cheese to make it! No need to let that mac and cheese sit lonely in the fridge anymore, you now have the best ever round two recipe for it that comes together in minutes.
No one will be able to step themselves at one, so be sure to triple this recipe if you've got a lot of hungry people headed your way on game day.
INSTRUCTIONS: In a medium bowl, mix together the mac and cheese and diced bacon. Form small balls (either one or two bite depending on your preference) out of the mac and cheese mixture and add them to a flat baking sheet. Once you have formed the balls (make sure you press them together tightly), cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 to 3 hours.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs. In another small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and flour; season the coating with salt, pepper and cayenne. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 3 to 4 inches of canola oil over medium-high heat. Working in small batches of 3 to 4, dredge the mac and cheese balls in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Add the the hot oil and fry until golden brown and hot in the center, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and repeat until all the mac and cheese balls are fried. Serve immediately.
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Pig of the Month Applewood Smoked Maple Bacon
Recipe & Photos by Meghan Bassett
13 Best Crockpot Meats to Whip Up for a Party
We're officially deep into crockpot season and it just so happens to be party season too! With all the football parties, holiday parties and dropping temperatures, we want to make our lives easier. That's why we're sharing these 13 best crockpot meats to whip up for a party. Now we don't know about you, but we don't love the idea of slaving in the kitchen all day and night long. While we love our cooking, when we are in party mode, we want to be part of the action wherever it's happening! This makes crockpot recipes so crucial to our party survival. Making a tender, delicious crockpot meat recipe means you can kick back, relax and even enjoy all that food you worked so hard on. With the main meat out of the way, you can turn any party into a self-serve array of deliciousness. From a taco bar to a brisket sandwich bar, pulled pork slider bar to wings and ribs, just set out the fixings and watch everyone's bellies get full. You can't go wrong with any of the recipes on this list, so the possibilities are endless!
Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken - Diethood
Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork - The Recipe Rebel Hard Cider Pulled Pork - Flavor the Moments
Slow Cooker Chipotle BBQ Ribs - Mariah’s Please Plates Easy Crockpot Sloppy Joe - Petite Allergy Treats
Crockpot Pork Carnitas - Live Well Bake Often BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders - My Kitchen Craze
Easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Hoison-Blackberry Sauce - Floating Kitchen
Slow Cooker Soy and Lime Chicken Wings - Spoonful of Flavor
Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Pork Shoulder - How Sweet It Is Crockpot Root Beer Pulled Pork - Sauce + Style
Slow Cooker Texas Smoked Brisket - Sauce + Style
Slow Cooker Beer & Mustard Pulled Pork - Sauce + Style Just don't forget to drop us an invite to the big party, mmkay?
DIY Brisket Slider Bar
Stop trying to make the perfect sliders for everyone and have them make their own instead! Put the fun back into your food at your next gather with this super simple DIY Brisker Slider Bar. Instead of slaving away, trying to find the ideal slider that everyone will fall in love with, load up on some of our brisket and set out as many toppings as you can. All you guests will love jumping in to create their own version of the "best brisket slider", plus you can keep the options open no matter what foods some people love (or love to hate).
You can stick with a classic combo of a white bun, brisket, pickles, red onion and cheese.
Or shake things up with a Hawaiian bread bun, coleslaw and pickled jalapeños!
Not to mention all the stress this whole DIY slider bar takes off you as the host/hostess... But that's just an extra side bonus to everything loving the food and having fun, right? ;)
What You'll Need: Serves 12 to 14 2 types of slider buns (24 total) 1 lb Pig of the Month Brisket, warmed 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2 cups coleslaw 1 cup caramelized onions Sliced sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small squares Sandwich pickles Pickled jalapeños BBQ sauce Franks Red Hot Sauce
Place the buns on a large platter. Place warmed brisket on a separate large platter. Layer cheddar cheese slices on a small plate.
Add red onion, coleslaw, caramelized onions, sandwich pickles and pickled jalapeños to individual serving bowls. Place the buns to one side next to the brisket and then lay out all of the toppings in a line to make it easy for guests to pick and choose. Set out your favorite BBQ sauces and hot sauces for people to experiment with! Have fun with it!
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*Recipe & Photos by Meghan Bassett
15 Crockpot Recipes to Cuddle Up with This Fall
Some of you might pull out the slow cooker all year long, but if you're anything like us, you spend most of your time in the warmer months putting that grill to work. Now that the temperatures are starting to dip and the grills are getting their last hurrah, we're looking ahead to crockpot season. Is anyone else as excited as we are about this?! There's nothing like coming home to a delicious meal all hot and ready, simply waiting for you to dish up, at the end of a long hard day. Those days seem to get even longer and harder as the cold temperatures set in and you get a bit of a chill walking from your car to your front door. We love putting our slow cookers to the test all fall and winter long, so we've rounded up the ultimate list of comfort crockpot foods to keep your belly and your heart happy! From classics like beef and bean chili, to new favorites like mozzarella stuffed meatballs, you'll be able to cure any weekday blues just a few minutes after you get home.
Slow Cooker Sriracha Bacon Mac N Cheese - Sauce + Style Slow Cooker Beef & Bean Chili - Sauce + Style
Slow Cooker Texas Smoked Beef Brisket - Sauce + Style Slow Cooker Lasagna - Sauce + Style
Crockpot Root Beer Pulled Pork - Sauce + Style Slow Cooker Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pot Roast - Joyously Domestic
Slow Cooker Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs - Le Creme de la Crumb Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup - Rotel
Best Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches - Carlsbad Cravings Crockpot Hot Chocolate - Sauce + Style
Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef - Le Creme de la Crumb
Crockpot Sunday Sauce - Half Baked Harvest
Crockpot Beer Braised Chicken - Half Baked Harvest
Crockpot Carne Asada Nachos - How Sweet It Is Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie - She Knows Be sure to keep up with our blog posts all month long because October is going to be ALL about the crockpots!
17 Bacon-Wrapped Tailgating Snacks to Bring Home That Tasty Win
FOOTBALL IS FINALLY HERE! Who else out there is completely losing their minds? It feels like we've been waiting forever for the season to officially start - because we seriously have been - and now that it's here, we are going all out for every dang game. What does that mean for us Pig of the Month BBQ peeps? Wrap all the things in BACON. There's nothing much better than throwing bake some bacon deliciousness with those brews while taking in all that glorious pigskin action. You all know bacon is a part of daily life in our world, so having the excuse to whip it out yet again four days out of the week is our idea of hog heaven. Don't disappoint your favorite fans with some chips and dip and a couple beers this weekend. Bring out the bacon and make everyone lose their minds over all the goodness! Football was meant to be enjoyed with an extra side of bacon. Don't even try to argue with us. It's a FACT. Check out these KILLER bacon-wrapped recipes and head over to Pig of the Month BBQ's bacon section to get the good stuff. You can thank us later.
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers - Whitney Bond Parmesan Bacon Knots - A Spicy Perspective
Sweet Potato Fries Wrapped in Bacon - Spicy Southern Kitchen Tater Tot Bombs - Damn Delicious
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites - Mama Loves Food
< Grilled Cheesy Potato Volcanoes - Tasty
Sriracha Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños - Sauce + Style
Bacon-Wrapped Onion Rings - Sauce + Style
Bacon Wrapped Lil Smokies - Oh Sweet Basil Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Balsamic Reduction - Bright-Eyed Baker
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites - Lovely Little Kitchen
Bacon Wrapped Avocados - Oh Sweet Basil
Bacon Mac and Cheese Bites - The Gunny Sack Bacon Cheeseburger Bombs - Pillsbury
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Meatballs - The Gunny Sack Bacon Cream Cheese Bites - Garnish with Lemon
Bacon Wrapped Cheese Bombs - Crunchy Creamy Sweet
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Pig of the Month BBQ's INSANE bacon collection
Quick & Easy Beef Jerky Chex Mix
I always get into snacking whenever fall kicks in. I don't know if it's the cooler temperatures, the football, or the new batch of exciting flavors and recipes, but something comes over me and I turn into a grazer. This Quick & Easy Beef Jerky Chex Mix is one of my new favorite snacks to whip up any given day so I can keep up with my grazing habits all week long.
This whole snack mix requires such little effort! All you do is mix it all up and bake for a little over an hour. You'll just have to find a way to distract yourself while it bakes... Trust me when I say all you'll wanna do is reach in and snag a couple pieces every few minutes because the smell of this chex mix is way too intoxicating. You get the best of all worlds in each handful! This snack mix is a little sweet, a little spicy, and packed with our favorite Pig of the Month BBQ beef jerky. There's tons of variety to keep every taste bud in your mouth jumping for joy.
Pack a small bag to take with you to work, or set out the whole thing right before the big game kicks off this weekend. It'll all be gone before you know it!
[vimeo 183505889 w=640 h=360]
Quick & Easy Beef Jerky Chex Mix from Pig of the Month BBQ on Vimeo.
Happy snacking!
INSTRUCTIONS: Serves 8 to 10 Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine both types of chex, roasted peanuts, beef jerky and pretzels in a large bowl. Whisk together melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour the sauce over the dry mix and toss to coat. Dump out chex mix onto lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. Cool completely. Serve. Shop This Post Pig of the Month BBQ Beef Jerky
*Recipe, video and photos by Meghan Bassett
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