Atomic Buffalo Turd Jalapeno Poppers

posted in Recipes on 8/11/2014

Ingredients 10 jalapeno peppers 10 bacon slices, cut in half 10 mini sausages or smokies (or 20 if they are very small) 1 cup cream cheese 1 cup grated monterey jack 1 tsp chipotle powder 2 shallots, minced

Instructions Slice the jalapenos lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and membrane. If using bell peppers, quarter them after they are seeded. Mix the cream cheese, monterey jack, chipotle powder and minced shallots. Fill the hollowed out portion of the peppers with the cheese mixture. Place the smokie on top of the cream cheese. Wrap the half slice of bacon around the jalapeno. If the bacon is not staying tightly wrapped, it may be necessary to use a toothpick to hold it in place.

Depending on the size of the smokies, you may need to cut them in half or quarters. The smokies that I used are cut lengthwise and fit perfectly on the jalapeno pepper.

Some in my family do not like spicy food, so I used red and orange sweet bell peppers. They turned out delicious as well and were enjoyed by those who prefer milder food. Living in Canada it is close to impossible to get anaheim or poblano but they would be a great alternative to jalapenos. I like it hot though and I wonder if I would ever have the guts to try these in a habanero. YIKES!

It is possible to bake these in the oven or grill them, temperature needs to be low so that the jalapeno can be cooked through. Most grills struggle to have a low heat (below 250F) and the ABTs can have the bacon overcooked and the jalapeno undercooked.

The bell peppers turned out great as well. The pepper tastes like a roasted red pepper and there is a smokey flavour throughout every part of this delicious bite size treat.

To cook on the grill: Cook on a medium heat grill until the jalapeno is tender and the bacon is browned. Keep the lid covered while cooking. To cook in the oven: Bake the ABT’s in the oven, set at 425F, for 20-30 minutes or until the bacon is browned.