Football Poppers

Time :20

Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Are you here for football or just for the snacks? Hey, we support both answers! We love the game, but to be honest, we love Football Poppers so much more. They're just the best bite to munch on while we cheer for our favorite team. Sliced jalapeños make the most flavorful vessels for the creamy, cheesy filling to sit in. Wrap 'em with a slice of bacon and you truly won't be able to stop eating them... and that's what sport-watching snacks are all about, right? Three cheers for Football Poppers! This is gonna be the best season yet!

Ingredients

12 large jalapeños
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1 cup smoked pepper jack cheese shredded
cilantro to taste, finely chopped
2 tablespoons onion grated
bacon strips to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Use a sharp knife to cut about 1/3 off of each of the jalapeños lengthwise to make boats to hold the filling, then scoop out the seeds. Discard the excess pepper pieces or save for another use.
Place the jalapeño boats on a baking sheet. Note: If they do not sit flat, slice a thin piece off of the bottoms so they don't roll around.
In a large bowl, add the feta cheese, the cream cheese, the pepper jack cheese, the cilantro, and the onions and use a spatula to mix to combine.
Evenly scoop the filling into each of the jalapeño boats.
Evenly wrap the bacon strips around each of the jalapeño poppers and use toothpicks to secure them. Return them to the baking sheet.
Roast the filled jalapeño boats until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown on the edges and bubbly all over, about 15-18 minutes.
Serve the jalapeño boats garnished with more of the cilantro.