Popper bites

 

 

I love jalapeno poppers; they're my go-to appetizer. The only thing I'm not a fan of is taking one bite and having the whole jalapeno come out in that bite! I decided to do my own take on this and make popper bites of my own.

Ingredients

8-12 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped, stems removed. Optional: remove the seeds to reduce the heat

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 bag of  real bacon bits
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of your choice

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup panko crumbs

1 cup breadcrumbs (season these as desired)

Mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, jalapenos and bacon to form a paste.

Shape into balls using about 1/2 tablespoon of paste for each or to fit your palm. Be careful not to make these too big to ensure the filling is cooked.

Take the popper filling and dip into milk; then dip into the panko and breadcrumb topping. Allow the breading to dry (about 10minutes) and then repeat until the popper is adequately covered.

Fry: Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown 

OR

Bake: Place into pan with 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown