Healthier Jalapeno Poppers

If you're ever look for a good crowd pleasing recipe, this is the one. I love making this dish whenever a friend is having a get together or when we plan on having a few people over. This recipe is especially good during football season.

A typical jalapeno popper is breaded and deep fried. While I don't mind indulging every once in a while, I don't quite enjoy the feeling I get after eating greasy fried foods. Because of this, I take my favorite things about a dish and lighten them up without depriving myself of the good stuff too much. The best part about these jalapenos is that you can actually taste the jalapeno itself. Most jalapeno poppers taste like fried breading and either cheddar or cream cheese only. They never truly taste like a jalapeno! These poppers are SO addicting thanks to a little secret ingredient you'd never expect in a dish like this.

Yield: 30 jalapeno poppers

• 15 fresh medium/large jalapeno peppers
• 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup Hormel Real Bacon Pieces
• 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut the tops off the jalapenos then slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Using a small knife, remove the insides of the pepper (seeds and veins). 

In a small bowl, add cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and Old Bay and mix until thoroughly combined. Spoon filling into each jalapeno half equally. I like to use a butter knife so I can press the filling into the jalapeno while also running the knife along the top so there is no excess filling spilling over top. 

Place jalapenos on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 15 minutes. While the jalapeno poppers are baking, mix together the Panko and olive oil in a small bowl. You want the olive oil to just barely moisten the Panko. When the poppers are done cooking, remove from oven and top with the Panko mixture. This step requires some time - sprinkling the Panko mixture on top quite doesn't work. The cream cheese mixture cooks so the Panko just slides falls off the top if you don't take your time to gently spoon it on top. 

Once each jalapeno half has been topped with the Panko, place back in oven and bake for 10 more minutes. After 10 minutes, turn on the broiler for no more than 2 minutes just to brown the topping.