Jalapeño Poppers

Sometimes a girl has to indulge in something cheesy, gooey and rich. I've been trying to eat clean as often as possible, but let's face it...I'm a girl who loves her food. I will admit to feeling absolutely awesome when eating clean, but sometimes I just need to satisfy a craving. Before moving to Texas I rarely, if ever, had any dishes containing jalapeño. Believe it or not (ha!) there aren't an abundance of Mexican restaurants in Michigan. Go ahead and laugh out loud at the obviousness of t
hat statement. I've come to really love jalapeños and I think I am officially that girl that adds a little jalapeño to her scrambled eggs, stir fry, sandwiches - you name it, a little kick makes it better. Giving in to my recent craving for a snack with a little richness to it, I made these jalapeño poppers. I ate more of them than I should confess here...let's just say I could use another detox fast. Oy vey. 

Start with about 12 whole jalapeños, halve them and remove the seeds....

Mix together an 8oz package of low-fat cream cheese with 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar (for the record, always shred your cheese by hand - it melts better and is smoother. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with an agent that prevents it from sticking to itself. Unfortunately, that prevents pre-shredded cheese from melting as smoothly as hand-shredded. Bummer, I know). Add to the cheeses, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 8 slices of crispy cooked bacon, salt and pepper to taste. Combine well.

Fill the peppers with the cheese mixture....

Dip each pepper in milk and roll in flour. Allow to dry and then re-dip in milk and roll in bread crumbs. 

Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the jalapeños over medium-high heat until golden. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Attempt to exercise patience as they cool slightly and eat while warm. Leftovers are excellent the next morning for breakfast. Just sayin'.