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How to Host a Football Party
We are big football fans in our house and we were so excited to welcome the Rams back to Los Angeles we decided to throw a fun California Rivalry Party! I have been a long time 49er fan, ever since the days of Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice. Naturally I couldn’t wait for the Niners to go head to head with the Los Angeles Rams; just like back in the day! My husband, on the other hand, grew up watching the LA Rams so we knew we’d have a blast with a friendly rivalry party with our family.
Football Party Decorations
Show your team pride with festive team balloons in team colors. We had both 49er balloons and Rams balloons since our family was clearly divided. We also created a large Football Field using an indoor/outdoor rug and white duct tape. We wanted our guests to feel like we were really on the sidelines of the big game. I also set up two inflatable goal posts, one on each side of our TV and table set up.
Keep the kids busy with fun half time games! We set up both field goals for the kids to through soft footballs through during halftime. Footballs and penalty flags are another great “party favor” for guests.
Be sure to have plenty of spirit items like poms and foam fingers in team colors.
Photo booth props are another great halftime activity for the whole family.
Show team spirit with custom sugar cookies! My dear friend, Katherine whipped up these amazing cookies for our party.
Go Niners!
The Nacho/Tostada/Taco Salad Bar
If you know my parties, you know that I love to provide a large spread for my guests to enjoy. So I whipped up my family’s favorite slow cooked carnitas for Pork Nachos (see recipe below), but I didn’t want to limit my guests to nachos, so I put out tostada shells for tostadas. I also wanted to provide an option for my family that may be watching their carbs, so I added extra lettuce for Taco Salads.
For the beverages, I served Cucumber Mint Lemonade, water and soft drinks.
You can’t have an awesome Football Party without lots of salty, crunchy snacks! I filled football themed containers with popcorn, chicharones and pretzels. We also had fun football themed face tattoos for everyone to wear.
I also a whipped up a batch of salsa (which you can see in my video below).
Chunky Game Day Salsa
What you will need:
6 Roma tomatoes or 2 cans of diced tomatoes in rich sauce
1/4 cup Water
1 tbs. Caldo de Sabor De Pollo (chicken Bouillon)
2 Jalapenos (remove the seeds and veins for milder salsa)
Juice from 1 Lime
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro (some chopped and set aside)
4 Green Onions
1/2 white or yellow onion (diced and set aside)
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp. Black Pepper
In a blender, blend cilantro, jalepenos, garlic green onions, spices and water into a puree. Combine puree and tomatoes in a small bowl and stir. Add in chopped cilantro and diced onions. Chill and serve with your favorite tortilla chips!
Pork Nachos Recipe
Wow your guests with slow cooked pork carnitas, perfect for your nacho, tostada bar!
What you will need:
- 5 lb Pork Butt
- 1 tbs. Caldo de Sabor De Pollo (chicken Bouillon)
- 1 cup Hot water
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- Michelle’s Pork Roast Rub
- Slow Cooker
- Mason Jar with lid
Michelle’s Pork Roast Rub:
- 1 tbs. Caldo de Sabor De Pollo (chicken Bouillon)
- 1 tbs. Casera Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Cheyenne Pepper
Rinse the pork butt well and pat dry. Then rub the seasoning, covering the entire roast.
Helpful Tip: You may want to wear gloves so that you don’t accidently rub your eyes hours later, Cheyenne pepper hurts! Not that I know anything about that, lol.)
Next, fill the mason jar with 1 cup hot water and 1 tbs. Caldo de Sabor De Pollo and shake, shake, shake!
Put the roast and 3-4 cloves of garlic in the slow cooker. Next, pour the liquid in the slow cooker (not on top of the roast) Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8.
Once the pork is done, remove it from the slow cooker into a serving dish and shred. I like to keep the meat moist by adding the remaining liquid over the pork. If you like a more traditional carnitas, you can fry the pork on one side in some oil. I prefer to keep them moist for nachos.
TIP: Pork is delicious, but you will know that it’s fatty. So I like to strain the remaining juices into an air tight container and place it in the freezer until the fat hardens. I then scoop and discard the top thick layer of fat. Next, I reheat the juices and pour it over the meat. This way the meat stays moist and all the yummy flavors are retained.
Now just load up with your favorite chips, cheese and toppings!
It’s Game Time!
We all had a blast cheering on the Rams and the Niners. As you can see the family was divided! My mom showed up in red but looks like she switched teams during halftime,with her blue and yellow cheer gear! LOL
We’ll that’s it, our fun family Football Party from the Niner vs. Rams game! We are so happy to have the Rams back in LA so the Rivalry can live on!
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Be sure to check out my FB Live Video for more tips and tricks!
Let me know who you are rooting for this year, I’d love to hear from you!
Go Team!
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16 comments
This looks like and awesome party with great food ! We are in Scotland so tend to watch soccer – must think about having a party next time.
Michelle!! This is pretty awesome! We don’t watch football, but my step dad does- he wouldn’t decorate his shop though.. but that recipe!? I am so going to try that out!!
Love this post and all the ideas and photos you have here! We are big fans of the OTHER football, what you guys call soccer!
Now this is a party my husband would love. Football and food are perfect for him.
I love the idea of playing games with the kids during halftime . That sounds like fun!
That deco is so on point! Any boy would go crazy with this
I’m surprised that the 49ers and the Rams can live peaceably in the same household. 🙂 My husband is a huge rams fan. Love the cookies!
Love this post, I think one of these would be too overwhelming for me haha. But if it was even half as good as this I would be good!
Such a great setup Michelle! I love the helpful hint about cayenne pepper. Lol
This is my kind of party haha! I love the decoration, everything look delicious. You had a great time there.
Football season is always fun. The parties are a big part of the fun too. 🙂
They all look delicious! I would love a glass of cucumber mint lemonade right now 🙂
Friendly family rivalry is encouraged with sports lol, loving your football party items esepcially the decorations
With football season comes football parties and this setup cannot be more on point! I love all the little details that make this whole party come together! Great job!
those foods and decors looks amazing! i’ve never had football nights haha would love to experience with those things you have above
That pork roast rub just looks heavenly. This whole idea can really be turned into a basketball/NBA theme as well, I can see myself doing it with my cousins and relatives!