How to make Stuffed Jalapeños

If you love the fiery bite of jalapeños, the smoky flavor of bacon and the richness of cream cheese, you are going to love these stuffed jalapeños! Serve warm from the oven with your favorite Mexican beer. Or add a lovely green salad and refried beans topped with Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream. This is a version of a recipe I originally received from my daughter and is now a family favorite!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers
• 1- 8 oz package cream cheese (or 1/3 less fat than cream cheese Neufchatel cheese)softened
• 12 slices good quality bacon
• Monterey Jack cheese grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Or preheat grill to medium high.)
2. Split Jalapeños in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon in a scraping motion to remove and discard seeds and white membrane. Fill each pepper with cream cheese. Wrap with bacon. (I usually split the bacon lengthwise or you can simply cut in half.) Secure bacon to pepper with toothpick.
3. Ready for the oven! Line a large jelly roll pan (a cookie sheet with sides) with foil, then spray foil lightly with cooking spray. Place peppers on pan avoiding over crowding as this will result in a greasier product and bacon that is less than crispy. Top each with a bit of Monterey Jack cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is crisp and cheese is bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
   
   (To cook on grill cover grid with foil sprayed with cooking spray and carefully place peppers on foil. Close lid and check often for progress. You may also place prepared baking pan on grill to cook or cook directly on grill, although you may have problems with the peppers falling between the grid and likely experience flaring from the bacon grease.)

Tips & Warnings

• Serve as an hors d'oeuvre or as part as a meal.
• Be sure to make plenty as these go quickly.
• For extra flavor a a bit of cumin and course salt to the cream cheese, mixing well.
• Be careful as filling can be extremely hot when first removed from oven!
• Seeds are a big part of the heat in peppers so be sure to remove all the seeds if you are not one to care for that type if heat.
• If you have sensitive skin use kitchen gloves to protect your hands while cutting and seeding any hot pepper. The compound capsaicin, which is what makes the peppers hot, can actually burn your skin!
• Wash hands well after handling cut peppers, this will lessen the chance of the capsaicin burning you skin and also of tranfering it to your eyes or to someone else.