Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

   

12 - 15 jalapenos

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz cheddar cheese (med or sharp)

12 - 24 slices bacon (depending on size of jalapenos)

3 tbls favorite salsa

1 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

S & P

toothpicks

I must confess!  One of my all time favorite late night snacks... Jalapeno Poppers dipped in red pepper, or any other, tangy jelly.  Mmmmm!  So, I created my own version here & the guys went nuts over them.  I only made one tray full & they were gone in like 2 minutes!

Here we go!  Preheat oven to 400.  Then, wash & half your jalapenos.  Next, it's time to de-seed & de-vein them (simply look at my picture to the right).  Hold your jalapeno in your hand &  use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds & veins.  You are getting rid of some of the heat, so you can leave a few seed if you choose.

To make the filling, combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Easy goes it with the salsa, so your filling doesn't get runny.  Then, use a small spoon to stuff the cavity of the jalapeno.

Finally, take a strip of bacon and tightly wrap the jalapeno.  You can use the whole strip, 3/4 a strip or even a half, depending on the size of your jalapeno.  Then, secure the bacon with a toothpick & place them on a cookie sheet.  You will be surprised how easy they stay together.

Place the pan  in the oven.  (You might note that I put foil on my pan, as they will leak & it makes for an easy clean up).  Now, you'll need to watch them close.  They can take 30-40 minutes.  It totally depends on your bacon, as thicker bacon will need to cook longer.  You are looking to see when the bacon is finished & they are ready to go.

Once they are cooked, slowly remove them from the tray so the foil doesn't stick &  get ready for them to vanish!  These poppers are perfect for a football game snack or any other party.  They hit the spot!