Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

Ingredients
1 8-oz package full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
12 jalapeño peppers
4 strips thick-cut bacon (preferably nitrate free), cut into 1/4" pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the softened cream cheese and smoked paprika until smooth and evenly combined.

Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the center veins and seeds. Discard the seeds.

Fill the cavity in each jalapeño pepper half with a teaspoon or two of the cheese mixture and place cheese side-up on a baking sheet. Top each pepper with 3 or 4 pieces of the cut bacon.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the jalapeño peppers are fully roasted. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Tip: To protect your skin from the natural oils in the jalapeño pepper, which can burn or irritate, rub your hands with a tablespoon olive or vegetable oil as you would hand lotion before you begin working with the peppers.