Kickin' Jalapeno Poppers - by request

Karen's Kickin' Jalapeno Poppers
Recipe By: Karen Rysavy, LearnLowCarb.com, copyright 2011
Total Servings: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ready In: One Hour

Description: "The bacon and cream cheese do a lot to tone down the heat of the peppers, and leftovers were even good cold the next day. I originally created this recipe for the grill, but baking in the oven is far easier and yields a more consistent result."

6 large fresh jalapeno chile peppers -- halved and seeded

8 ounces cream cheese -- softened

1/4 cup minced onion

12 slices thick-sliced bacon

2 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix

Slice tops off jalapenos, cut in half length-wise; scrape out and remove seeds and membrane. Mince pepper pieces from around stems and add to softened cream cheese along with onions and taco seasoning. Mix well. If you are a masochist for heat, add 1-2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper along with seasoning.

Divide cream cheese filling among the pepper halves. Wrap a slice of bacon corkscrew-fashion around each pepper, as shown, overlapping or trimming bacon as neeed.

Refrigerate for at least two hours, and for up to two days, before cooking.

Place preformed poppers on a metal rack, over a pan with which to catch the bacon drippings. (I lined mine with foil for easier clean-up.)

Bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes, until bacon is well-browned.

Per Serving: 144 Calories; 13g Fat (6g saturated); 5g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 291mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.



Suggestions: I beefed up this recipe by adding a cup of minced leftover chicken breast to the filling. Taco meat is a natural here, too!

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