12 pickled jalapeno peppers
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
1/4 c. sliced green onion (optional)
12 slices bacon
Rinse and drain jalapeno peppers. Slit lengthwise on one side; remove seeds and veins, leaving stem attached. (If you want them hot, leave the hot stuff inside!) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in grated cheddar cheese. Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture. Wrap with a piece of bacon. Use a tooth pick to hold the bacon on and keep them closed.
Grill until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted. We love ’em!
If you’re not in a grilling mood, pop them in the oven.
Bake in 450 degree oven until bacon is crisp about 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 12.
Tip: Use disposable gloves when cutting and removing seeds from the jalapeno peppers.
I didn’t eat much coleslaw as a kid, just didn’t. But upon getting married, my mother-in-law Jacque loved coleslaw.Â
Her coleslaw was the creamy style without the red cabbage, but right before serving, she would add peanuts, toss and serve.Â
Jacque's Coleslaw with Peanuts
Good! That was a little over 20 years ago, and now I am a full addict. I will not recover in my lifetime. I do love coleslaw so much I can eat it straight up on a piece of bread for lunch. I know, I know, be gentle…you are talking to an addict. My favorite slaw is without the mayo and more on the vinegar side, but if you are going to have a baked potato the creamy stuff is great. Tacos, Sandwiches all benefit from coleslaw. Hold the lettuce and go for the ‘slaw!
1 large head green cabbage, shredded
1/8 head of red cabbage (optional)
 2 carrots shredded
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1 1/2 cup unsalted raw peanuts (optional – but Jacque loved her coleslaw this way!)
1 tsp salt
1 T Dijon mustard
2/3 cup olive oil
Combine cabbage and carrots in a large glass bowl. Toss.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Whisk together. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.
If you like creamy dressing, use the same amounts of vinegar, sugar and salt. Substitute cream for oil. Eliminate the mustard.
Awesome Slaw!
BBQ Beef and Coleslaw Sandwich
 Â
Variations:Â
Jalapeno Lime Coleslaw
1/2 cup Lime Juice
1 basket of tiny cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instead of Vinegar in above recipe use 1/2Â cup lime juice.Â
In a skillet or oven (350F) roast the peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice along the way, until golden and toasted.
Just before serving fold in the peanuts (add them too early and they lose some of their crunch). Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt if needed.
A salsa this simple lives or dies by the quality of the ingredients—ripe avocado, luscious tomato, and a sweet, crunchy ear of corn. Most of my corn salsa recipes call for grilled corn. This one features the succulent crunch of raw corn to reinforce the sweetness of the fresh avocado.Â
Ingredients
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 ripe red tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 ear sweet corn, shucked
1 scallion, both white and green parts, trimmed and finely chopped, or 3 tablespoons diced sweet onion
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers, seeded and minced (for a hotter salsa, leave the seeds in)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Place the avocado in the bottom of a nonreactive mixing bowl and gently toss it with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Spoon the tomato on top of the avocado.
2. Cut the kernels off the corn. The easiest way to do this is to lay the cob flat on a cutting board and remove the kernels using lengthwise strokes of a chef’s knife. Add the corn kernels to the mixing bowl. The salsa can be prepared to this stage up to 2 hours ahead. Refrigerate it, covered.
3. Just before serving, add the jalapeño(s) and cilantro to the mixing bowl and gently toss to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more lime juice as necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste; the salsa should be highly seasoned.
