Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? We usually go to my cousin’s, but she is visiting her son this year. So, we are staying home. We are still dressing up and having snacks and cocktails. We are just doing it alone.

I’m making Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers and Wings. I know poppers are very mid-90s. I also know that I don’t care. I eat what I like. These are super delicious.

Thanks for following my blog this year. I hope next year brings you nothing but happiness.

Servings: 12 poppers

Time:  Active: 15 minutes; Freeze: 1 hour; Cook: 40 Minutes; Pops in about 2 hours

Hardware:  A cutting board and a paring knife, food prep gloves, a food processor, a silicone spatula, a mixing bowl, a mixer, a spoon, a large plate, foil, a baking sheet

Ingredients:

• 1-8oz package cream cheese
• 12 large jalapeños
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (just buy the pre-cooked bacon you can find with the salad dressing and croutons in the grocery store)
• 6 pieces of good bacon
• Cooking spray
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing

1. Put the cream cheese out to soften.
2. Make sure to wear the gloves while working with the peppers. Wash the peppers. Leave the stems on them. Lay them down to discover how they can lay without rolling. Cut a long section from the top of each pepper so it resembles a canoe. Remove the seeds and white ribs from inside the jalapeños.
3. Place the pieces you removed from the peppers into the food processor. Pulse them until they are the size of gravel. Scrape them into the mixing bowl. Repeat with the bacon and the cheddar cheese.
4. Add the cream cheese to the crumbled bacon, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Stuff the mixture into the peppers. You can mound it up a little. Place the peppers into the freezer for at least on hour. If you have any stuffing left over, it makes a great cheese spread.
6. Cover the baking sheet in foil and spray with cooking spray. Pre-heat the oven to 325˚.
7. Cut the bacon long ways down the middle. You should now have 12 thin bacon strips. Remove the poppers from the freezer. Wrap a piece of bacon around each one. Try to have the ends under the pepper. Place the poppers onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes. If the bacon isn’t crispy enough for you at this point, you can turn on the broiler. However, monitor them carefully, as they will burn quickly.
8. Serve right away. Offer your guests ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Cheese and Bacon Crackers

Cheese and Bacon Crackers

I have wanted to make cheese crackers for a while. I am on a two-week break from my other life (high school teacher,) so if not now, then when? As usual, I read a ton-I weighed them-of recipes. The basic recipe is cheese, butter and flour. From there, the recipes diverge. I saw recipes calling for other varieties of cheese, even cream cheese. After this maiden voyage, I am going to tweak this recipe and try other cheeses. Doesn’t pepper jack sound intriguing? Other recipes used different herbs like garlic, dried chives, dill and oregano.

I decided to go spicy and bacony, because who doesn’t like bacon? I used ½ teaspoon each cayenne and black pepper. Next time I may substitute the cayenne for pepper flakes. I used the bacon pieces that are sold in the salad dressing aisle with croutons. The bacon pieces are much more convenient than frying all that bacon yourself. The pieces are also less greasy. I added onion flakes for a different texture and a more complex flavor. If you love this recipe, try Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Straws from our friends at Food Flippers.

Servings:  3 dozen crackers

Time: Active time: 20 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes; Refrigerate: 30 minutes-crackers in an hour

Hardware:  Measuring cups and spoons, a large mixing bowl, a rubber spatula, a mixer, a baking sheet, parchment paper, plastic wrap, a knife and cutting board, a cooling rack, (optional) a silpat

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 stick room temperature butter
• ⅓ cup crumbled bacon
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1½ cups flour
• 3 tablespoons ice cold water

 1.      Make sure the butter is soft. Mix the butter and cheese together for about three minutes on high. The dough will get stuck in the beaters. Stop occasionally and use the spatula to remove the batter and return it to the bowl. Add a tablespoon of very cold water and mix for another minute.

2.      Add the bacon, onion flakes, salt, and peppers and mix on medium until all the bacon is evenly distributed.

3.      Add ½ cup of flour and another tablespoon of cold water. Mix on medium for 1 minute. Add another ½ cup flour and the final tablespoon of water. Mix for a minute. Add the last of the flour and mix until a dough forms.

4.      Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper and shape it into a 1½ inch in diameter log. Roll the parchment paper around the log. Then wrap in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5.      Preheat the oven to 375˚. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

6.      Unwrap the dough and cut the log into ¼ inch slices. Place the crackers about ¼ inch apart on the lined baking sheet.

7.      Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the crackers to the rack and cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

8.      The crackers will keep for about a week in an airtight container. The dough can be kept wrapped in the fridge for a week before using, just make sure it is wrapped tight.