Jalapeno Poppers with Pineapple and Bacon

Posted on August 18, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

It’s hard to believe that kids are starting to go back to school already! Park City public schools start on Thursday, some other schools in the state started last week! But, but wait… summer was just getting started!! Even crazier… some of the leaves are starting to change already! I am not ready for this!

One thing I am ready for… football season! We are just two weeks away from the start of regular season NFL games and I am so excited. One my favorite fall actives is getting together at someones house and watching the Patriots play. It’s one of my East coast traditions I’ve taken with me to the West… Sunday is Pats day. Ok, so you don’t need to love football or the Patriots to love these jalapeno poppers because they are down right delicious and perfect for any occasion. The spice from the jalapeno, the creaminess of the cheese, sweet from the pineapple and salt from the bacon come together for one popping popper! Bring this to your next cocktail party, cook-out or tailgate party and you’ll be everyone’s favorite person. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Poppers with Pineapple and Bacon

10-12 medium/large Jalapenos (or 15-18 small ones)
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, at room temperature
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
¼ cup shredded white cheddar
3-4 pieces bacon, cooked

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy, place on paper towels to cool. Chop into small pieces and set aside.
Remove the stems of the Jalapenos, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and ribs. Be careful not to touch your face or eyes during this process you will burn yourself and regret it!
In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, pineapple and cheddar cheese.
Using a spoon stuff each jalapeno half with the cream cheese mixture so it is even with the sides of the jalapeno (about 1 or 2 tablespoons of filling depending on how large your jalapenos are)
Place cheese side up on a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped bacon and serve!

**Thanks to Mia from Blonded by Style for taking the pictures. This post was part of our Mexican Fiesta, check out the whole menu here.

Jalapeno, Mango & Avocado Salsa

Posted on March 9, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

It has started to feel a lot like spring lately here in Park City. This weekend we had two gorgeous days of sunshine and warm weather, great for catching some rays and enjoying an apres drink after skiing… not so good for the snow! Practically all the snow around our house has melted and I’ve woken up the last few mornings to birds chirping outside my window and its only March 10th! Here is Piper… laying on the only patch of snow left on our lawn! I did get some great skiing and hikes in this weekend. After being cooped up all winter, its nice to finally get out and enjoy the sunshine! And now that we’ve gained an extra hour of daylight at night I get to enjoy those late afternoon walks with the dog! Since I was feeling in the spring/summery mood this weekend I decided to whip up this delicious jalapeno, mango and avocado salsa!

I would put this salsa on anything! Its great with chips, on tacos, chicken, fish… the options are endless and you’ll wish the bowl of this salsa was endless too because it is so good! This salsa goes perfectly on my fish tacos with chipotle cabbage slaw… but you’ll have to check back tomorrow, Taco Tuesday, for that recipe!

Jalapeno, Mango & Avocado Salsa

1 large mango, cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium avocados, cubed
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium jalapeno, diced (depending on how spicy you like it, remove either all or some of the seeds before chopping)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (if you don’t like cilantro, substitute mint)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together mango, avocado, jalapeno and shallots. Be careful not to over mix and smash the mango and avocado.
In a smaller bowl, combine lime juice and olive oil. Drizzle over mango mixture.
Sprinkle cilantro, salt and pepper over the top and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Corn Fritters

Posted on July 24, 2013 by skibootsinthekitchen

Ahh its Wednesday! Happy Hump Day! If you haven’t seen this commercial it will put a smile on your face! Every stand at the farmers market has huge bushel of corn right now and while they are not the big ears of sweet corn you get towards the end of August, nothing is better than fresh corn. Jake and I are having a corn stand off- He likes to roll his corn in the butter plate- I prefer not to. How do you butter your corn? Until we come to an agreement I will not serve corn on the cob in my house…Just Kidding! But I have been looking for a new and different way to eat corn because I hate when it gets stuck in my teeth! Sweet summer corn and spicy jalapeno come together for a South of the Boarder party on your plate with this dish. Its a perfect side to fish, chicken or steak- or for a vegetarian option serve over a chopped salad. These fritters would also make the perfect eggs Benedict, put a poached egg over the corn fitter, drizzle with hollandaise, now that’s how you spice up your morning! Enjoy! Jalapeno Corn Fritters with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients (Makes 8-10 fritters)

2 cups cooked corn, frozen or fresh
1 jalapeño, chopped
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup cornmeal
½ tsp baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Olive oil, for frying
For garnish: Greek Yogurt or sour cream, lime, avocado, and tomato

Instructions

In a food processor, combine 1¼ cups corn, the jalapeño, onion, cilantro, and garlic. Pulse until very finely diced, but not completely smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the processed mixture with the remaining corn, all spices, cheese, cornmeal, baking powder, and eggs. Mix until fully incorporated. Add more cornmeal as needed.
In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 2-3 Tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, form the batter into patties (it should be slightly sticky, but not enough to make this step impossible), and cook in batches.
Cook each patty until golden brown on each side, 2-3 minutes per side.
Cut 1 avocado and 1 tomato into small cubes. Squeeze half a lime over avocado/tomato mixture season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Greek Yogurt or sour cream and a lime wedge.