From Our Recipe Box to Yours....

     In Celebration of our Bacon Fest coming up in April, I thought I'd include some bacon recipes to try. And who doesn't love bacon??

Here's one from www.mrshappyhomemaker.com

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

• 10-15 large jalapenos
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• 3-4 green onions, diced
• 1 pound of thick sliced bacon, sliced cut in half
• paprika to taste
• barbecue sauce to taste
• toothpicks

Instructions:

Slice jalapenos in half & scoop out the seeds & membranes with a spoon.  Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, green onions, & paprika in a bowl.  Stuff your jalapenos with the mixture.  Wrap each stuffed jalapeno with a bacon half.  Secure with a toothpick, & brush with a good helping of barbecue sauce.  Cook at 275 for 1 hour on a wire cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet.

Now, here's Emeril Lagasse's version...

Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Prep Time:30 minInactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time:30 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
2 dozen

Ingredients
12 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
8 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 cup panko crumbs, or fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cumin, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2 teaspoons of the Essence. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of Essence. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with cold beer.

Per Popper: Calories: 80; Total Fat: 5 grams; Saturated Fat: 3 grams; Protein: 3 grams; Total carbohydrates: 5 grams; Sugar: 1 grams Fiber: 0.5 grams; Cholesterol: 32 milligrams; Sodium: 176 milligrams

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_20896_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback

And finally, The Pioneer Woman....

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Prep Time:

 30 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 25 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 10

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 20 whole Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 Inches In Size
• 2 cubes Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1 pound Thin(regular) Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds

Preparation Instructions

If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep... Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon pieces (1/3 slice). Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to the squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of bite to it.

Serve immediately, or they’re also great at room temperature.

You’ll love these so much, you’re gonna come out of your skin. Or something like that.