Jalapeno Poppers

For Father's Day I made a lunch for my dad and his request for the main dish was BBQ Shrimp (I'll post this recipe later this week). So I thought I'd make some BBQ-esque side dishes to go with it. One recipe that I had seen on Pioneer Woman's website was for Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Thingies. Sounded perfect for an BBQ appetizer, so I tried it out!

***Note to anyone attempting to make this dish - WEAR GLOVES! 24 hours later, my hands are still burning from working with the jalapeños, no joke.

Minus my hands feeling like they're on fire, these were delicious! If you take all the seeds and white membrane out of the jalapeños, they're not spicy at all. Especially with the cream cheese, that takes down the heat considerably. These are a new must-have for summer BBQs!!

JALAPENO POPPERS

• Fresh jalapeños, 2-3 inches in size (I used about 10)
• Cream cheese, softened (I used up all 8 ounces)
• Bacon, sliced in thirds

Cut jalapeños in half, length-wise. With a spoon (wear gloves!!) remove all the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño. Smear cream cheese into each half. Wrap the jalapeño with the bacon slice (1/3 of a strip). Secure the bacon with a toothpick.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. If the bacon isn't crisp enough for you, turn the broiler on for a few minutes.