Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you received my email newsletter on Monday, I shared a couple of my favourite Mexican recipes there. But there was no way I couldn’t post more Cinco content on my blog!

I made such a classic snack today. I guess these are more of a pub food but the main ingredient is jalapenos which are very Mexican. I love poppers because the jalapeno is a little spicy (can increase the spice by leaving in the seeds) but the filling is so creamy which balances the heat.

Note: Make sure you avoid touching your face after dealing with the jalapenos and be sure to wash your hands extremely well too. You do not want any accidents.

The filling has a base of cream cheese, and make sure it is at room temperature for best results. Then you add some shredded cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Once it’s all mixed and smooth, it’s ready to use in your poppers.

The finishing touch is some panko bread crumbs. I guess you could make these without it but I love the extra crunch that it gives once they are super toasted after cooking.

Now that I think about it, you could use this cream cheese filling as a spread on a bagel or any sandwich. It is just seasoned cheesy cream cheese which was delicious on its own.

But I highly recommend you make some poppers. You will love the ultra creamy filling with the heat of the pepper and crunchy panko. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 6 jalapenos, halved and seeded
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 4oz cream cheese (1/2 block), room temperature
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place halved jalapenos on sheet. Pour panko bread crumbs onto a small plate. Set both aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Stir until creamy and smooth. Stuff peppers with 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp of filling, depending on their size.
4. Once filled, dip each one into panko and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until panko is golden brown and peppers are tender.