My jalapeño pepper plant is growing like crazy! I still have a large bag in my freezer from last year that I used over the winter and spring. So...Mike asked me to make these. We have also cooked them in the smoker, so I have included direction on how to cook both ways. I only needed to use about half the filling. The rest we warmed up and snacked on as a dip with Pretzel chips.
8 ounces cream cheese
12 large Jalapeño peppers
1 ½ cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
12 slices bacon, not thick-cut
Kitchen gloves (for handling jalapeños so the oils do not burn your skin)
Preheat the oven to 400°. Place cream cheese in a large bowl and let it sit out at room temperature while you prepare jalapeños. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wear gloves to handle jalapeños. Halve the jalapeños lengthwise. Scrape out seeds and ribs (I used a melon baller) if desired. The more seeds and ribs you leave in the hotter they will be.
To the bowl with the cream cheese, add shredded cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to create the filling. Mix with a spatula until well blended. Use a butter knife to fill the jalapeños with the filling, smoothing the filling so it is flush with the top edge of the jalapeño half.
Cut the 12 slices of bacon in half crosswise. Wrap each jalapeño half in a piece of bacon so the ends are tucked under the pepper. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place by skewering it from side to side. This keeps the bacon from unraveling during cooking.
Arrange jalapeños on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the filling is melted and slightly brown. Cool the jalapeño poppers for 10 minutes before serving
Note: To cook in smoker, cover a rack with foil and preheat smoker to 350°. Spray the foil lined rack with cooking spray and arrange the jalapeño poppers on the rack. Place rack in smoker and cook for 20 – 25 minutes or until bacon is cooked.
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