Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos

By: Eileen

This recipe comes from my friend Heather as well as Pioneer Woman who calls them "Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies".

20 jalapenos

2 blocks cream cheese

2 lbs bacon, sliced in half

*Ingredient amounts are approximate.

Preheat oven to 425. Wearing disposable gloves, cut stems off of jalapenos and slice in half. Remove seeds and ribs. (If you don't wear gloves often your hands will start burning hours later and nothing will stop the burning!). Using a butter knife, stuff each jalapeno with cream cheese. Wrap each jalapeno with a piece of bacon. Bake on a rack set inside a baking sheet approx 1/2 hour until bacon is cooked and crispy and jalapeno is softened. My smoke alarm likes to go off when these are about done . There will be a lot of grease that has drained off in the pan when these are done cooking. Serve warm or room temperature.

Here is a variation I learned from my friend Heather to cook these on the grill instead of baking them. Use center-cut bacon (do not slice in half or the strips won't be long enough) as it won't flare up as much on the grill since it's lower in fat. Wrap each jalapeno in one slice of center-cut bacon, trying to completely cover the cream cheese so it won't leak out when you are grilling these. Secure bacon at each end of the jalapeno with toothpicks. Grill with the cream cheese side down first, flipping once, until bacon is completely cooked and crisped to your liking. The reason for cooking them cream cheese side down first is it seems to reduce the cream cheese leaking out of them. Let cool slightly and serve.