The Best “Smokey” Jalapeno Poppers

The Best “Smokey” Jalapeno Poppers

Oh my, these are yummy!!!

Do you love spicy?  Do you love smokey?

Then these little beauties will make your day!

Aren’t they pretty?

I love cheese stuffed jalapenos.  They’re spicy, and of course, they are cheesy.  What’s not to love?  They are one of my favorite snacks during the summer time.  My garden produced a lot of jalapenos this summer, so the other day I decided it was time to make cheese stuffed jalapenos again.

Some days I just like to make recipes up…and this was one of those days.  I looked up a couple of recipes to get some ideas and started messing around.   I wanted something a little different this time, so after gathering up the usual ingredients (cream cheese, shredded cheddar, salt), I remembered a secret ingredient.  A few weeks ago, I bought Smoked Paprika for another recipe and it has become my favorite spice/secret weapon.  So…I added it to the cheese mix and…

What happened turned out to be stuffed jalapeno heaven…

Smokey Jalapeno Poppers 

Start by turning on your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

You will need 15 to 20 jalapenos, depending on how big they are.  Slice them open and remove the seeds.  This will leave lots of very spicy oil on your hands, so you may wish to wear gloves.

You will also need grated cheddar cheese (I used sharp), cream cheese, garlic salt, and smoked paprika.

Mix together:

• 1 Cup Grated Cheddar
• 8 oz. (1 Cup) cream cheese
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt

It’s ok if you decide to stop here and just eat the filling.  Who needs jalapenos?  This is some pretty amazing stuff!

Ok, once you’ve eaten half of this lovely new dip we’ve created (yes, it makes a wonderful dip!), you can stuff those jalapenos.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place jalapenos on it as they are filled.  There is no science to this.  Just scoop up the filling in a spoon and fill the jalapenos.

Place your baking sheet into the oven and bake at 350 for around 30 minutes.  They are done when the cheese is lightly browned on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  These little poppers are delicious hot or cold, so go ahead and eat some now.  You can save the rest for later.  If you want.  If you decide not share, I won’t tell anyone!

Smoked Paprika totally changes the stuffed jalapeno game.  This recipe brings just the right amount of smokey flavor to these fun appetizers.  It’s a whole new treat that is the perfect complement to any Mexican dinner, or as a unique appetizer for game night with friends!