Farm Family Recipes

• 10-15 medium jalapeno peppers
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 3 drops liquid smoke, hickory or mesquite
• 1/2 cup bacon chopped into bits
• 1 lb bacon uncooked, or 1 slice per jalapeno
• 8 oz sliced pepper jack cheese
• jalapeno jelly, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pot with boiling water, cook Jalapeno’s (blanch) for about 3-4 minutes. When done, immediately drop the jalapenos into a bowl of ice water to shock, or stop the cooking process. When cool, slice jalapenos lengthwise from stem to tip, leaving the stem intact. Using a small spoon, scrape the seeds and veins from inside of jalapenos. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, liquid smoke and chopped bacon bits, mixing well. Fill each half of jalapeno with cream cheese mixture to just under the rim. Lay a piece of pepper jack cheese over the jalapeno, just to cover the cream cheese mixture. Wrap each jalapeno with a slice of bacon using a toothpick if necessary to secure the bacon. Place stuffed jalapenos on a baking sheet. (You can also use a flat rack placed inside a baking sheet to cut down on bacon grease.) Bake for 30 minutes or until bacon is thoroughly cooked. Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeno’s can be made ahead. When ready to serve, heat them up on a grill or in the oven and serve warm. Serve with jalapeno jelly.