Pepper Poppers inspired by Stardew Valley

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
• 6 bacon strips (cooked crispy)
• salt (to taste)
• 0.25 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp chili powder
• 8 jalapenos (large)
• 0.5 cup bread crumbs
• 1 avocado (large)
• sour cream (for dipping)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, shredded Monterey Jack, crispy bacon, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and most of the bread crumbs (reserve a small amount for topping). Do not include the jalapenos or avocado in this mixture.

3. 3

   Prepare the peppers: Taking care not to touch your eyes and using gloves if you have any cuts on your hands, slice the jalapenos in half length-wise. Remove all the seeds and inner flesh so you have a hollowed-out 'bowl' for the filling.

4. 4

   Place the pepper halves on a greased baking pan.

5. 5

   Scoop the cheese and bacon mixture evenly into each jalapeno half.

6. 6

   Sprinkle a small amount of extra cheese and the reserved bread crumbs on top of each filled pepper.

7. 7

   Place the baking pan in the oven and wash your hands thoroughly.

8. 8

   Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The tops should be browned slightly and the insides should be gooey when poked with a fork.

9. 9

   While the peppers bake, slice the avocado into 16 strips.

10. 10

    Remove the poppers from the oven and lay one avocado slice on each popper.

11. 11

    Serve warm with a dip of your choice, such as sour cream.

Notes

This recipe was inspired by the Pepper Poppers in the game Stardew Valley. For safety, it is highly recommended to wear gloves when handling and de-seeding jalapenos to avoid skin irritation.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• spicy
• baked
• Stardew Valley
• video game inspired
• party food