CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Jalapeno Poppers

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Many are familiar with jalapeno poppers on the grill, but how about ones fixed in the oven?

Jalapeno Poppers

1 8-ounce can whole water chestnuts

1 cup soy sauce

2 cups brown sugar

12 large jalapeno peppers

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

6 thin-cut slices bacon, cut in half

Drain chestnuts and place in large, lidded container with soy sauce. Add enough brown sugar to cover chestnuts; it will dissolve as you add it, so it will take a fair amount. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Cut stems off peppers and core them. Squeeze cream cheese into quart-size freezer bag. Cut off a bit of one corner. Using it as pastry bag, fill each pepper halfway. Insert 1 or 2 chestnuts in each pepper, cutting chestnuts in half if necessary. Wrap each pepper with bacon, securing with a toothpick. Place peppers on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp. (Watch them closely; if the bacon grease pools, it will catch fire.)

Yield: Serves 12.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

Tags: chef jeff, jeff tiedeman, one byte at a time, jalapeno poppers, features, food, recipes, jalapenos