Buffalo Jalapeno Poppers
Say it with me : Jalapeño Poppers stuffed with Buffalo Chicken dip….oh yea, its happening. & it was epic and delicious.
So, it’s been awhile. Like, over a month & I kind-of apologize – I’ve missed you all so much! *wipes tear* sadddd.
But I’m back! I feel very strong & proud of myself that I was able to work thru some walls with grief, along with heavy thoughts & feelings, and simply wanted to give myself adequate time to accept what I was going thru and then shake myself back into my normal, usually upbeat & desperately positive state of mind. I’m almost there : ) and it is feeling very real & very great. So, thanks for sticking with me, dearest foodie friends & readers – y’all da real MVP.
in my head.
This recipe has a bit of a backstory, and you deserve to hear it. How this recipe came to be born also makes me laugh because jalapeño poppers have always felt SO treacherous & difficult to pull off in my opinion. IDK why, they just have. So instead, I decided to raise the bar & take 2 of my favorite appetizers to create a mash-up. Also, because I’m a genius. Hear me roar.
get your popcorn ready…
So, I used to have this friend. ((yea, USED TO)) She didn’t cook. She was admittedly a horrible cook, but no big deal. It just wasn’t her thing. But maaaan when I tell you that bitch could whip up some deliciously KILLER jalapeño poppers, they were loved far & wide. ((yea, WERE LOVED. This is my house now)) It wasn’t a joke. It was her “thing” – it was the 1 food item she was insanely good at & literally everyone loves jalapeño poppers! I mean, really!
Moving on – Present day, she sucks as a person & we aren’t friends anymore, which is obviously sad for her. Because in a different world, I’d love to give her credit for being my muse for this recipe – but, alas, this aint a different world & I ain’t giving her shit. The one thing I’m mourning the most ((to this day, *sarcastic wink*)) are all the Happy Hours, game nights, book clubs, and parties I’ve hosted with NO delicious Jalapeño Poppers to serve because they just seemed daunting & I would rather have the void than serve something subpar.
Well then I woke up!
I reasoned with myself – I could do this. If someone who couldn’t cook for shit could make jalapeño poppers, then so could I! So, I read thru a few recipes on Pinterest. The popular change as of late to the classic & beloved Jalapeño Popper was to ensconce them in a crescent roll. I mean, meh? Sure, that’s fine & all but I would eat 1 and be full as hell. Which is NOT THE POINT of jalapeño poppers – you want to keep popping them, which means eating more than 1!
So anyway, the stuffing base all seemed the same : cheddar cheese & cream cheese. OK. I knew I was better than that. I wanted to beat (previously above mentioned ex-friend) her at her own game. I knew I could be more creative than her & Pinterest combined. *insert snarky smile here* AND I TELL YOU WHAT, I DID IT. So, bullshit aside, let’s get to it!
Ingredients
· 5 Jalapenos, sliced lengthwise & seeds removed
· 10 slices thick-cut bacon, raw
· 1 ½ cups prepared & cold Buffalo chicken dip (see my previous blog recipe! – titled “When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip”)
· ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
First off, I’m a cheater. I knoooow, I knowwwww.
I had made buffalo chicken dip for a book club one night & had leftover dip and I was like….OMG I finally know what’s gonna go in my jalapeño poppers! THAT’S RIGHT. Leftover buffalo chicken dip!
But in the best world of worlds….you’ll probably want buffalo chicken dip for the Super Bowl (because that’s coming up!) if little mouths (kids) don’t like jalapeño poppers….so if you made some ahead of time, then it wouldn’t be a waste or any extra work. #YoureWelcome
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Wash your jalapeño poppers & slice them evenly longways down the middle.
Remove any seeds & white membrane – or not, it’s your mouth’s funeral.
Using a spoon, stuff your jalapeño poppers fully, but not overly so – use the back of the spoon to really pack in the dip into the jalapeño boat.
Sprinkle a tad bit of the shredded cheddar cheese and use the spoon again to help it stick to the dip.
Wrap the jalapeño snugly, on the bias, with 1 slice of bacon per jalapeño boat.
Place on a greased baking sheet with the bacon seam-side down – this will help keep the bacon tight & all the goodness inside your jalapeño boat while they are cooking!
Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. I personally don’t like my bacon super crispy so please check on your Buffalo Jalapeño Poppers every 15 minutes or so!
These are the perfect snack for a football game – they have the vibe everyone is after and I consider it a TWO-FER since its 2 apps in 1!
Enjoy this dish for the upcoming Super Bowl – it will definitely be a hit! & be sure to let me know what else you think would be good stuffed into a jalapeño rather than just cream cheese & cheddar! *wink*
Poppin’ Off!
Funny enough, this is my real first blog entry since the holidays & the death we experienced in my family. Grief has a real funny way of reminding us that we are not in charge. This may sound dumb, but this is my page & I’ll say whatever TF I want, dammit! My mother-in-law was NOT a fan of spicy food, ever. Her palate became even more sensitive as she was going thru chemo – no easy task to try & keep up with her ever-changing tastes & cravings, but we did our best.
My point to this is – cooking gave me a sense of helpful purpose while she was sick & she was always so interested and supportive of my blog. She didn’t have an Instagram account (she did, she just couldn’t get into her account & would get frustrated) so she usually texted me & asked what I had cooked / talked about that day. I loved that she allowed me to try new recipes & substitutions for her during her journey because I knew I’d look back one day while posting something and say, “I remember when I made this for her.”
Sadly, this recipe is not one of them. But I know she would probably still be hella supportive & hella interested in how I came up with this recipe – the funny & simple answer is “to beat somebody out” HAHAHA ;) She knew (& was not a fan of) the above-mentioned ex-friend so hopefully she’s having a good laugh somewhere, cause she also knows I’m pettyyyyy.
In closing – love ya peoples. Check on ya peoples. Hope you’ll give this super-easy but super-delicious recipe a shot for the SUPER BOWL! Who do you want to win? #AnybodyButBrady yes I know he’s not even going this year, which I’m glad for, but still.
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you loved it, I’d love to hear from you.
If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
© 2021 Cookin’ & Cussin’
