Iowa Party Bites

“Iowa Party Bites” sounds like a fun and comforting appetizer perfect for potlucks, game days, or family gatherings—especially with that Midwestern flair for hearty, crowd-pleasing food. Here’s a take on Iowa-inspired party bites, with local flavor influences like pork, sweet corn, and cheese.

🌽 Iowa Party Bites (Mini Pork & Corn Biscuit Bites)

🍽️ Makes:

24–30 bites

⏲️ Total Time:

35–40 minutes

🧀 Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork (or pork sausage)
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt & black pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cheddar-jack)
2 tbsp cream cheese
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (e.g., Pillsbury Grands Jr. or similar)
Fresh chives or green onions, chopped (for garnish, optional)

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

Preheat Oven:
- Preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a mini muffin pan or line with mini cupcake liners.
Cook the Pork Filling:
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground pork with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in corn, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. Cook for 1–2 minutes until melty and combined. Remove from heat.
Prepare the Dough:
- Separate biscuit dough. Flatten each piece slightly and press into the bottom and sides of the mini muffin cups to create little shells.
Assemble & Bake:
- Spoon pork and corn mixture into each biscuit cup.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden and cooked through.
Finish:
- Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Garnish with chives or green onions if desired.

🔁 Variations:

Spicy version: Add diced jalapeños or pepper jack cheese.
Breakfast bites: Use breakfast sausage and scrambled egg in the mix.
BBQ twist: Add 1–2 tbsp of BBQ sauce to the pork mix.

Want more Iowa-themed appetizers (like bacon-wrapped corn bites or cheesy ham pinwheels)? I’d be happy to add more options!