Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

This is one delicious snack or dinner side.  I usually pair it with grilled sausages or cony dogs.  I take it as my dish at cook-out pitch-ins, too.

What you need:

Bacon - the same number of slices as jalapenos.  There is a store here where I can buy irregularly cut bacon.  Most of the time I can find a package with really good strips instead of odd chucks, and it is a couple dollars cheaper than the "regular" bacon.

Jalapenos - I usually try to find 12-16 medium jalapenos.  I grow these in my garden, so I just go outside and pick what I like.  I find when I do need to buy them at a store, I have trouble finding smaller jalapenos.  I usually have to buy large ones and cut them in half, which means being very careful at the filling step.

Cream cheese - You only need 4 oz.  I buy the 8 oz package, cut it in half, and freeze the half I'm not using for later.  Let soften to room temperature.

Shredded sharp cheddar - You need very little of this.  I usually have some in my fridge from something else I've made, so I rarely buy a bag just for this recipe.  

- Wash the jalapenos

- Cut off the stems

- Remove the seeds and centers 

I use the end of a teaspoon to remove the seeds.  It works well, and if the jalapenos are not too small, the spoon handle won't split the sides open.

I don't worry about getting every seed out of the inside.  You can rinse the remaining seeds out with water, if you like.  If you do this set the jalapenos up on end on a paper towel to drain out the excess water.

- In small bowl, mix together cream cheese and sharp cheddar.

I just guess how much each time, but it is about a tablespoon of the cheddar.  Use more or less to your own personal tastes.

If the cheese are not mixing well, microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften up the cheddar.

- Stuff the jalapenos with the cheese mix

I use the same spoon end from the seed removal to stuff the cheese.  In small (spoon end size) scoops I add the cheese until full.  Cheese mix should come to top of jalapeno.

- Wrap in bacon

I start by placing the end of a piece of bacon over the open end of the jalapeno, wrapping down the length then crossing to around the sides.  This helps hold the cheese inside.   

-Place on broiler pan 

- Broil on medium for 15 minutes

- Flip over and broil another 10-15 minutes

Keep and eye on the bacon.  Most of the time these times work out really well for me.  Sometimes I have to go longer, sometimes the first 15 minutes gets my bacon close to burnt.  If you only have a high heat broiler, start out with 8 minutes on the first side and adjust up from there.

Yum!

(These reheat well, too.  If refrigerated, microwave for about 30 seconds)