jalapenos Archives - 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Lighter Jalapeno Poppers

Have I ever mentioned that I love jalapeño poppers? I absolutely love this jalapeño popper stuffed chicken recipe and make it all the time. My love for jalapeño poppers started with the frozen ones you get at the grocery store. I have an older post with a link to my favorite recipe for jalapeño poppers, but I realized the other day when I was trying to get the recipe that the link was broken. I guess it’s the perfect time for my recipe redo! I even spiffed up the recipe with the addition of turkey bacon… Mmmmm.

I find the hardest part about this recipe is taking the seeds and ribs out of the jalapeño. I have been burned by jalapeños before so I am very cautious when working with them now. Other than that, the filling and baking is real easy and make a great appetizer! They come out crisp on the outside and gooey and delicious on the inside. I didn’t make a dip to go with them this time because I don’t think they need anything. But if you insist on having a dip, chop up some scallions, mix it with some light sour cream, and add a little salt and pepper to taste. Dip away! Not only are these lighter jalapeño poppers healthier then the store-bought kind, they put them to shame in the taste department.

Gooey Jalapeño Poppers

Recipe Redo- Lighter Jalapeño Poppers

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Recipe type: Appetizer

Ingredients

6 jalapeños, halved, seeds and ribs removed
½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 scallions, finely chopped
2 pieces crisp cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 egg whites

Instructions

Preheat broiler to high. Place a wire rack on a foil covered baking sheet. Place jalapeños, opening side down on wire rack. Broil for 2 minute until they begin to char. Let cool as you put together filling
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, and turkey bacon. Fill cooled jalapeños with filling.
Place egg whites in a bowl and whisk until foamy. In two separate bowls add bread crumbs and whole wheat flour.
Dip jalapeños in whole wheat flour and shake off excess flour. Then dip jalapeño in egg whites and then panko crumbs. Place opening side up on wire rack. Be careful not to lose filling. Repeat for all 12 halves.
Bake for 20 minutes and then let cool a few minutes before serving.

Jalapeño Popper

Source– Adapted from Rocco DiSpirito’s Now Eat This! 150 of America’s Favorite Comfort Foods
sisterk (2)

soft homemade pretzels with jalapeño dipping sauce

I found this recipe for Soft Homemade Pretzels with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce via another blog (Smells Like Home) about a month ago and I finally got a chance to make it this week. I was originally going to make it as a Super Bowl snack, but then I realized I literally and figuratively had too much on my plate with my plan to make (and eat) Tex Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip, Mexican Black Bean Chili, Baked Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese, and Raspberry Truffle Brownies. I was right- I didn’t even get a chance to try the chili on Super Bowl Sunday so the pretzels definitely would have been too much.

These soft pretzels were a huge hit in our house- T keeps asking for “prets” (his words for pretzels) and I noticed my husband swapped out his usual Greek yogurt for a pretzel this morning for breakfast. These pretzels are really good on just their own if you are running short on time and can’t make the jalapeño dipping sauce.

soft homemade pretzels with jalapeño dipping sauce

And speaking of the dipping sauce, I chopped up the cilantro while I was waiting for the pretzel dough to rise. Of course, I completely forgot to add it to the jalapeño dipping sauce before I took the photos. It’s delicious with or without it, but I would add it if you have it as it adds a bit more green and another flavor dimension to the dipping sauce.

soft pretzels with jalapeño dipping sauce

Soft Homemade Pretzels with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

Prep time: 1 hour 15 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 1 hour 27 mins

Ingredients

Pretzels

1 and ½ cups warm water (yeast rises best between 110 to 115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
4 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
⅔ cup baking soda
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Kosher salt (to taste)

Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

2 small jalapeño peppers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (it's recommended to shred your own- pre-shredded cheese does not melt as well due to the added preservatives)
cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt (to taste)

Instructions

Pretzels

Add the water, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to combine on low speed for 10-15 seconds. Remove the paddle attachment and put on the dough hook.Add the flour and 4 tablespoons melted butter to the bowl. Knead the dough on medium speed and until the dough is smooth (3-4 minutes.) Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly oil the mixing bowl. Transfer the dough back and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place and allow it to double in size. This should take about an hour.
Place the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece so that it is approximately 20-24 inches long. Tie the rope into a pretzel shape. Continue this process with the remaining 7 pieces of dough. Meanwhile, be sure to place a damp towel on the dough pieces and the completed pretzels.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set baking sheets aside.
In a sauté pan, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil. Using a metal spatula, slotted spoon, or a mesh skimmer spoon, place the pretzels into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds (my pan allowed me to add three pretzels at a time, but use your judgement depending on the size of your pan.) After 30 seconds, remove the pretzels from the water and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the top of each pretzel with some of the 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the Kosher salt.
Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Once you remove them the oven, lightly brush pretzels with the remaining melted butter. Best served warm, but they keep 3-4 days in a sealed container. If not serving immediately, microwave each individual pretzel for 30 seconds before serving.

Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

If you have a gas stove, use tongs to blacken all the sides of the two jalapeños (if you do not have a gas oven, place the jalapeños on a baking sheet and roast them under the broiler until all sides are blackened.) Place the roasted jalapeños in a small pan or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool for 10-15 minutes. Use a paper towel to scrap off the blackened skin and continue to de-seed and chop the two peppers. Set aside. (This step can be done while the pretzel dough is rising.
On the stovetop, melt the two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Add the chopped jalapeños and stir until coated with butter. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk until the peppers are coated (approximately 30 seconds.) Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to stir the mixture until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the shredded cheese. Continue to stir until all of the cheese has melted. Mix in the cilantro and kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately or reheat the dipping sauce in the microwave for approximately 45 second.

Source: Slightly adapted from Smells Like Home

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