Thursday, July 3, 2014

Stuffed Jalapenos

A couple of weeks ago, we were all at a church BBQ at a friends place.  They served these stuffed jalapenos that were so good,  Susan (my daughter in law) decided that she had to try to make them.  Her first attempt was pretty good, but they were so spicy hot we could barely eat them.  We did anyway, of course, because we're gluttons for punishment.  And a true Arizonan will never admit something is too spicy.

Since then, she found the secret to cleaning them that makes the fire not so lethal.  Here is the recipe for the version she made tonight. These were very tasty, spicy but still edible. Please wear gloves when dealing with jalapenos, the oils stay on your hands forever through several washings, and if you don't wear gloves, the next time you touch your eyes or nose you will be in pain.



Stuffed Jalapenos

12 medium to large jalapeno peppers
8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz grated sharp cheddar (I bet these would be good with blue cheese instead)
1/3 cup bacon bits  (use real ones, no fakarooni stuff..we get ours at Costco)

Preheat your oven to 400.

Slice all the jalapenos in half lengthwise.  Put them in a big bowl of water.  While they are in the water, use your hands (with gloves on) to get out all of the seeds and membranes.  If you do it well, they will be tasty and spicy, but edible.  IF you leave membranes or seeds, they will light a fire in your mouth.  As you clean each pepper half, put it on a towel to dry.

When you've finished cleaning the peppers,  mix the cheeses and the bacon bits in a bowl until well blended. Fill each pepper half with cheese mixture.  Place them all on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment (cuz roasting peppers release juices that will be a pain to clean up).  Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese is bubbly and the peppers are soft.  Cool slightly and serve warm.  YUM!