Recipe - Arts Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

12 Jalapeno peppers
4 ounce Cream cheese; room
temperature
3 tablespoon Onion; finely chopped
One half cup Cheddar cheese; shredded
One fourth teaspoon Black pepper
One fourth teaspoon Granulated garlic
One fourth teaspoon Dried parsley
One fourth teaspoon Dried chives
One fourth teaspoon Old Bay Seasonings (TM)
[Seafood Spice
Mixture]
One half cup Ham; cooked bacon, or other
leftover meat, finely
chopped

In a twoquart sauce pan, bring one quart of water to a rolling boil. While
it is reaching a boil, Cut a long flap in each jalapeno, starting from the
shoulder and running close to the tip; this should be an elongated "V"
shaped flap. Lift the flap and clean out the fibers and seeds (this is
where most of the heat is); I use either a roundtipped peeling device or a
teaspoon. When water reaches boiling point, immerse cleaned peppers in the
water and reduce heat to medium. Let peppers parboil for about 10
minutes.... better that they be a little undercooked then overcooked.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together, turning and blending until the
cream cheese is well mixed into the rest of the ingredients. If the mixture
seems too dry, add a little sour cream, pickle juice, vinegar, anything in
the fridge you think might add a touch of individuality.

Remove peppers, dump into a strainer, and run cold water over them. Lift
the flap of each pepper and stuff the cheese mixture into the pocket; fold
the flap back down over the stuffing. A little overstuffing is OK.

Place the peppers on a sprayed pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 0
15 minutes; just until the cheese begins to melt out of the peppers. Remove
and let cool for about 4 5 so the cheese sets up a little. Serve with a
few crackers or tortilla chips.

Parboiling the peppers removes a substantial portion of the raw heat, but
leaves enough to give a nice burn to the mouth. I fixed this as an
appetizer for Doris and I tonight. They serve 2 3 people, depending on
how soon dinner is to be served! Left over filling can be saved for several
days for another batch or to eat on crackers, in celery, on (when no one is
looking) by the forkful!

NOTES : This recipe is my own creation.... tested, tasted, tested, tasted,
etc. and true.
Posted to TNT Prodigy's Recipe Exchange Newsletter by Art Guyer
Beach_Bum@usa.net on Nov 20, 1997