Intro
Hey guys! I’m back! What a crazy few months! From Corona to my city’s local primary election to traveling it’s been crazy, busy, fun. BUT it feels soooo good to back in the kitchen! Don’t worry I’ve been cookin’ up the ideas of new recipes to share with you all!
This recipe is basically a shout-out to the return of cooking, football, fall, getting back to a healthy routine, and the plethora of jalapeños from my garden I get every year- just in time for all of the above!
I only ever grow one jalapeno plant and it yields like, 5 dozen plus japs so I’ve been making a different kind of jalapeno popper every Sunday. It’s actually been a really fun little tradition of mine for the past 2 years so THIS year I’m excited to share a really unique one that I actually made up!
It sort of happened by accident from a combination of me trying to make the regular version healthier and as always, use up the food in my fridge before it ever goes bad! You know what I’m about to say… “Use what you got!” and “Waste not want not!” I find it to be a fun and creative challenge that never lets me down.
So here’s how I made ‘em and here are my suggested ingredients! (Non-recipe type cookin’ bc I just can’t)
The UnRecipe Suggested Ingredients:
10 ish Jalapeños (makes 20)
Bacon to wrap them but also optional, maybe vegan bacon?
toothpicks
Stuffing
Shredded Cheese (Optional)
1 cup roasted EGGPLANT (no skins)
Drizzle of Olive oil
1 clove of fresh Garlic
½ a Lemon- juice
½ an onion or 1 small one
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chili powder
1/2 cup of shredded Chicken (other options, chorizo, beef, tofu, sausage
**Or you could use 1 cup nut “cheese” --- TBH I haven’t tried this but I was going to use this recipe if I did.
The premise of this appetizer is that you empty out the jalapeños (membranes and seeds), stuff them, and then wrap them in bacon. This is so versatile! Seriously, stay with me until the end bc I am going to blow your freaking mind with the leftover “stuffing” at the end- read on!
Let's Get to it!
Prep (Pre-heat the oven to 400)
Cut the Japs in half, lengthwise. ** PRO TIP - If you can cut the stem in half too they look cuter ;)
Cut out the ribs and seeds – this is the hot part! You can either discard (preferably in your compost bc your freaking awesome n you know it) or add some of this back into your “stuffing” to bring the heat.
**DISCLAIMER ** SERIOUSLY wear gloves when you do this! Every recipe I read said to do this… I never listened but this last time--- it’s been 2 days and I still can’t put my contacts in bc BURRN! I’ve taken 2 showers and washed my hands 14,00 times! So don’t live on the edge, it hurts!
3. Next, we’re making the “cheese stuffing” which I’ve got in here as eggplant. I had some leftover. Just slice it and roast it in the oven for about 15 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil and salt n pepper.
Now, you’ll just dice the following and throw it in the food processor.
1 cup eggplant it (sans skin)
half an onion
about a clove or so of fresh garlic
salt, pepper
squeeze half a lemon
paprika n chili powder
4. Pulse in a food processor until it’s the consistency you want, we’re going for a cream cheese consistency.
5. Spoon your stuffing into the jalapenos
6. Wrap each popper with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. **PRO TIP*- I found it easier to stretch the bacon by thinning it out between my thumb and pointer finger. I only needed about half a strip of bacon.
7. For color and extra flavor, I dashed a little more paprika on each.
8. Pop those poppers on a cookie sheet and cooling rack. **Simply B Tip- I recommend covering that sheet with a sweet reusable silicone mat for easy cleanup. Throw it in the oven on 400 for about 15-20 minutes.
Das it!
**PRO Tip Serve with sourcream with a chive garnish for a pretty presentation and cooling results (I tried it with blue cheese but it didn’t have the same effect)
NOW for the really cool part!
The “stuffing” doubles as a dip AND chicken salad!! YASSS!
You can serve the stuffing as a dip and add some buffalo sauce for a buffalo chicken dip OR if you don’t have jalapenos that are big enough to stuff you could also use this recipe and just deconstruct it! Dice up the jalapenos and add to the “stuffing” and serve with veggies or chips!!
I know!
Are you makin’ it??! Well, you should and I wanna see it! Got a new twist on this? I wanna see that too!
Don't forget to share it with me and all of our #nonrecipe friends on the gram! (stories too!) Tag me @simp.ly.b16 and use #simplybcookin
Wanna collab or be a guest on my show? DM me!
Are you makin’ it??! Well, you should and I wanna see it! Got a new twist on this? I wanna see that too!
-Simply
B
Comments