Jalapeno Poppers

The pepper plants this season are going crazy.  After roasting a boat load of Anaheim peppers this afternoon, I had some hot coals left on the weber grill, so I picked jalapeno peppers and, well, the rest is here....

There are a b-jillion recipes out there for poppers, but this is the one we like and it's super simple!  Not to mention yummy!

Take the jalapeno peppers, slice them in half, scrape out all the veins and seeds.

Next smear in some cream cheese -- I used the lower fat Neufchatel -- but really???

Now add a small cube of your favorite cheddar, or what ever hard cheese you like.

This little bundle is wrapped in a thin slice of bacon -- the thinner the better, so it cooks crispy.

I used a foil lined baking pan.

Onto the grill it goes!

The hot coals along with the aluminum foil liner will bake the poppers and the bacon will be crispy!

My bacon kinda slid off the gooey cheese, but what the heck?  Yummy yummy!

These were gone in no time!  Just a quick snack for the afternoon.

Enjoy Friends!

Jalapeno Jelly

The abundance of jalapeno peppers in our garden prompted me to look into some recipes.  We like the red pepper jelly that you buy in the store and, when in a pinch for an appetizer, pour some over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers.  Mmmm.  I think this jalapeno jelly will work just as well.  Also I can imagine how amazing it would be to serve along side a country ham at thanksgiving!  Well, enough dreaming about food.  Here's the recipe.  I think the jelly turned out very pretty!

Ingredients (recipe from Favorite Family Recipes blog)

• 1 lg. red bell pepper
• 1 lg. green bell pepper
• 10 jalapenos (mild to medium)
• 1 1/2 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 c. sugar--I used 5 cups*
• 1 pouch Certo liquid fruit pectin (usually by jello aisle at wal-mart)

Instructions

• Prepare the peppers by removing the seeds and veins.  Chop coursely then put in food processor, finely chop peppers. Put in large pot with vinegar, salt and sugar. Boil for 10 minutes stirring often. Add Certo pouch and boil 1 more minute. Fill canning jars. Water bath for 10 minutes (wait a day or so before serving so the jelly has a change to 'gel'). Makes about 6 half pint jars.

*I use organic cane sugar instead of white sugar.  I know, sugar is sugar, but I like the fact that it's organic and not as processed as the white stuff.  This resulted in a more amber colored jelly than one would get with white sugar.

Hope you will try this!

Enjoy Friends!

Mushrooms with Cream Cheese Stuffing

Thank you, Pioneer Woman, for this super yummy recipe.  I had leftover cream cheese stuffing, so I used it on some jalapeno peppers.  It's all good.

Recipe from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman!  

You can view step by step photos and instructions on her blog,

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

(Note:  I substituted turkey sausage for the pork sausage)

Ingredients

 24 ounces, weight White Button Mushrooms

 1/3 pound Hot Pork Sausage

1/2 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced

 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced

 1/3 cup Dry White Wine

 8 ounce pkg. Cream Cheese

 1 whole Egg Yolk

 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated

 Salt And Pepper, to taste

         

Preparation Instructions

Wipe off or wash mushrooms in cold water. Pop out stems, reserving both parts.

Chop mushroom stems finely and set aside.

Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.

Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat.

Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.

Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir & cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.

Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.

Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.