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GLORY….I am seriously addicted to these things.  We had a theft out of our yard during the night of an artisan piece that I am just a bit too sentimental about.  SOOOO, after talking to the really cute police officer, whose first word after seeing the picture was, “copper”, well, I knew they probably wouldn’t be finding it dumped by the silly kids who have paint balled our home and stolen other yard art pieces.  SIGH.   He said, “copper, and its probably already been sold off and destroyed….pretty sure grown men did this one.”.  SIGH, SIGH, SIGH…..friends told me I should report this theft since it was a pricy piece.  Anyway after realizing that I would likely never see it again, I decided I needed comfort food.  Yeah, yeah, yeah…I do turn to food sometimes.  Today I needed something with some zip so I left the police station and headed to the store for the ingredients I knew I didn’t have at home.

Now this is one of those make’em your own recipes.  I haven’t been making them very long and I swear they come out different every time.  I’ve tried shrimp on top of the cream cheese stuffing with the bacon wrapped around it all and they were okay, but I should have seasoned the shrimp.  I’ve used uncured bacon and thick pepper bacon.  Pepper bacon all the way baby.  YUM.  So here is the general idea of a recipe and then go have fun.

Jalapeno poppers

10 Jalapenos  (not small ones but not the really big ones I saw today)

1 softened package of cream cheese (DON’T use the fat free that i mistakenly grabbed)

Chop about a 1/2 cup of cilantro (unless you think it tastes like soap like I’ve heard)

1 tsp. of chopped garlic  (I LOVE Trader Joe’s…no formaldehyde like other store’s jarred versions)

1/3 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Cut the ends off the jalapenos, cut in half length wise, scoop out the seeds and strip down the veins if you want poppers more on the milder side (like my hubby).  Fill the scooped out pepper half and wrap with bacon.  Usually I cut the bacon slices in half.  Now you have to realize I am not a perfectionist and my poppers are not on the pretty side but man does everyone enjoy them.

Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.  Sometimes I pop them under the broiler just to crisp up the bacon a bit.  ( I have also added cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack and added a couple of tablespoons of Tamed Jalapenos)  (OH DEAR….just had a thought.  I might have to add some kind of smokey paprika next time for a new flavor).

Make them your own. Live on the wild side and leave the seeds and ribs in..GLORY BE THAT SOUNDS CRAZY…but some of you are heartier than I am….or maybe your tongue is even older and thus more dead than mine.  That theory is brought to you by our 20 somethings daughter…they think they are funny.