Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

9 jalapeño peppers

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

9 slices bacon, cut in half

Cut the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds. 

Combine the cream cheese, salsa and cheese in a small bowl. Once combined, add to a pastry bag or a heavy duty ziploc bag and cut off one corner so you can squeeze the cheese filling out of the hole and into the pepper. Fill the peppers with the cheese mixture. 

At the same time cook the bacon in a sauce pan for a few minutes until starting to brown but is still soft and pliable. Cool and wrap each pepper half in one piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick and place on a foil lined cookie sheet with sides. 

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Set the oven to broil and cook 2 - 3 minutes making sure they don't burn. This gives the peppers a nice roasted flavour and ensures your bacon will be crispy. 

Remove the peppers from the oven, cool slightly and serve. 

Pesto Marinated Cheese

Pesto Marinated Cheese

Pesto 

Olive oil

Mozeralla cheese, cubed

Red pepper pieces

Mix olive oil and pesto. Stir in cheese cubes, cover and refridgerate for several hours. 

Place marinated cheese cubes on pieces of red pepper and serve. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

4 chicken breasts

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 slices Black Forest ham

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

1 box Stove Top chicken or turkey stuffing 

1/4 cup butter, melted 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with non stick spray. 

Place chicken in pan and layer Swiss cheese and ham over top. 

Mix cream of chicken soup with milk and pour mixture over chicken. Top with bag of stove top stuffing and drizzle with melted butter. 

Bake 45 - 60 minutes and serve over rice or pasta 

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

1 lb Italian sausage, removed from casing

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 

8 cups chicken broth

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 cups fresh cheese tortellini 

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and scramble fry until nicely browned approximately 7 minutes. Remove sausage from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. 

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion & cook until tender approximately 3 - 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the peppers, bay leaf and red pepper flakes and cook until peppers are soft approximately 3 minutes. 

Add the broth and tomatoes, lower the heat to medium low and simmer 30 minutes. Add tortellini and cook until tender approximately 5 - 7 minutes. Add sausage and heat through. 

For some variation, add corn and/or spinach. Use a different type of pasta instead of tortellini to make a lighter version. Add cream cheese to make a rich creamy broth. 

Remove bay leaf and serve. 

Bruschetta BBQ Pork Chops

Bruschetta BBQ Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh basil, cut into thin strips

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat grill on high for 10 minutes. 

Mix tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt & basil in a colander, drizzle with olive oil, mixing well and let sit to drain. Stir occasionally to moisten and add additional olive oil as needed. 

Season pork chops with salt and pepper, lightly baste with olive oil and grill for 3+ minutes per side depending on the thickness of your chops. Remove meat at 140 degrees. 

Top chops with cheese and place under broiler for approximately 1 minute, until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. 

Top with a heaping spoonful of the bruschetta mixture and serve. 

Jalapeño Dip

Jalapeño Dip

4 oz can diced jalapeños, well drained or 2 jalapeño, seeded and diced small 

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded X 2

1 heaping tsp of minced garlic 

Using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Add cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and jalapeños, mixing well. Spoon into an 8 X 8 greased baking dish. 

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the cream cheese mixture. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until breadcrumb topping is golden brown. 

Serve with bread or crackers.