Jalapeño Poppers
Total Time: 1 hr 5 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield:12 poppers
Ingredients
12 large jalapeno peppers
4 Cheddar cheese sticks
24 pieces center-cut bacon
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
Special equipment: 12 toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Directions
Preheat a grill to medium heat.
Cut about 1/2-inch off the top each jalapeno pepper. Take the top pieces that you just cut off, cut the sides off and reserve, discarding the middle stem pieces. These will be used to plug the open end of each pepper to help keep the cheese from melting out. Using a straight peeler, scrape out the seeds and ribs from the inside of each of the peppers.
Slice each cheese stick into pieces that are just slightly shorter than the jalapenos. Stuff a pepper with a piece of cheese. Take the reserved side pieces and place them into the open end of the pepper, covering the cheese and plugging the hole. Take a piece of bacon and wrap the pepper from the bottom end to the top end, making sure to secure the “plug” at the top end. Take a second piece of bacon and lay it down on a clean work surface. Roll up the pepper so that it is almost completely covered in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining peppers, cheese, bacon and toothpicks. Sprinkle each with chili powder.
Place on the grill, cover and cook over indirect heat until the bacon is crispy, 15 to 20 minutes, making sure to turn every 3 to 4 minutes.
While the poppers are grilling, combine the sour cream, cream cheese and honey in a small bowl. Mix until well blended and serve with the poppers.
Cook’s Note: The poppers can also be made in the oven. Place the poppers onto a baking sheet fitted with a rack that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake in a 400 F degree oven until the bacon is brown and crispy, 15 minutes.
