EVERY POKER NIGHT NEEDS IT’S PICKINGS, AND THEY NEED TO BE SUPER PICKABLE!

One of my favorite things to do is play cards. You can play for hours and hours, and don’t even realize that four hours already flew by without anyone even noticing. It’s a really cute date idea especially if you’s both thrive off competition! If you are expecting friends to come over within the hour, and are in need to get something fun together in a short amount of time, this is the perfect way to go! Diamonds, don’t stress if people are going to be there who don’t know how to play… it’s very simple to learn, and once they learn they’ll want to continue to play all night!! It’s more of an intense card game especially if you are gambling with actual money on the line, but we’re still considering it a game night. With that being said, any kind of game night, no matter what games are on the agenda .. need snacks. It is a no brainer, but the question always is.. what should I put out on display thats easy, while not just serving chips from straight out of the bag?

I have your answers here Diamonds! 

• The left picture: PEANUT BUTTER POTATO CHIP SNACK MIX!
• The right picture: NACHO CHEESE TOASTED CHEESE CRACKERS!

We’ll start with the first picture! Melt peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon together! There doesn’t have to be any exact measurements with these ingredients. Pickings for poker games are supposed to be fun, and freeing! You just have to decide if you want a mild peanut butter taste in your mouth once you pop a few potato chips on your tongue, or if you want an explosion to occur!

I think any snack mix is absolutely perfect for game night pickings. It is exactly what everyone is craving, and they don’t even know it yet!

• In a large mixing bowl– combine kettle cooked potato chips (they must be kettle cooked! The crunch is superior to anything else, and they’re thicker.. so they aren’t going to really break apart when mixing in the melted peanut butter concoction!), butter snap pretzels, honey roasted peanuts, and dark chocolate chips. Then for the star.. the glorious cinnamon honey peanut butter gets drizzled all over, falling into every nook and cranny!!

Diamonds, if you love the combination of sweet and salty this will be your new best friend when it comes to snacks, or throwing something together for a party!

Whenever there is something sweet involved in the menu making process for an event, or an occasion.. I know whole heartedly that I have to do something savory; better yet, CHEESY! I love sweet and cheesy things together! I can’t exactly put my finger on what I adore so much about the two tastes together, but it just always works! It’s pretty much a match made in heaven <3.

• In a skillet, heat up three tablespoons of butter with many, many shakes of nacho cheese seasoning on medium-low heat. 

When the butter is fully melted, add the cheese crackers in to toast them for five minutes, continually stirring around to coat every little square with buttery, cheesy goodness! 

• Right before you take the crackers out of the pan.. cover them again with nacho cheese seasoning, and stir around once more. 

I love this creation so much because even though you can’t deny it’s simplicity, of course.. it really gives plain old cheese crackers a kick! They get totally leveled up in the snack world!! As does any snack when you toast it in butter, and delicious spices. You won’t even have to tell anybody that these aren’t straight out of the box. They will instantly know, and become super addicted. 

You never want to have a poker night without a few drinks to loosen up, and get those bets rollin’!

• Everyone’s favorite craft beers, or whiskey to sip on are usually solid choices for nights like these, especially since there are many men who are extremely into playing poker.

If your summer nights ever start to feel a bit boring, grab the deck of cards, the pile of poker chips, and these snack pickings! You will be set for a long night out on the patio to pick, and play! I hope you Diamonds are enjoying the beginning of the summer season! Don’t let it fly by.. do what you want to do, so you can enjoy what the summer has to offer!

XOXO