Roasted Jalapeño Poppers

Going to a "club" never much interested me. The idea of leaving your house after 11 pm to go dance doesn't make sense to my circadian rhythm. To be fair, I have at least tried the club scene once or twice. UGH, the wall to wall people, lack of personal space, the longest lines to the bathroom,  a D.J. that plays 4 seconds of a good dance song and 10 minutes of a bad one. Not to mention the $15 adult beverage and potentially a cover charge. My idea of a "club scene,"  dive bars, backyard BBQ's and weddings. YES, WEDDINGS! I love being invited to weddings because I know I will get a chance to dance. I love to dance. My husband and I are ALWAYS the first and the last people on the dance floor. As a matter of fact, there was one wedding we decided not to "read the room" and were the only two people on the dance floor the entire reception.

It was almost like a scene out of Footloose, except we must not have brought the Kevin Bacon vibes. Awkward, you ask? Nope, I promise we were the only two people in the place having a good time.

In honor of dive bars and backyard BBQ's, I have shared a Roasted Jalapeno Popper Recipe. Baked, not fried and a ton of flavor.

ROASTED JALAPENO POPPERS:

8 large jalapeños, cut in half and seeded

2 Serrano peppers, minced

1/2 yellow onion, diced

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack, shredded

1/2 cup of extra sharp cheddar, shredded

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/4 teaspoon of ancho chili powder

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the jalapeños in half and take out the seeds and the vein.

Dice up the Serrano peppers and onions.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterrey jack, Serrano peppers, onions, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together the panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Take 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture and stuff a jalapeño half. Then dip the cheese side of the jalapeño into the bread crumbs and press the crumbs into the cheese.

Drizzle the tops with a touch of olive oil.

Bake for 15-20 minute or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Give those poppers a few minutes to cool off while you grab a beer. I couldn't wait for them to cool down and I burnt the roof of my mouth. It was worth it though!