Baked Jalapeno Peppers with Cheddar Cheese

When my parents were over for Grandparent's Day last week, I asked them what they would like to eat at my daughter's birthday party.  My father in law quickly said he wanted to try some of those jalapeno peppers he saw on my blog.  Easy enough, done!  I had to change it up a little since I had already used all of our cream cheese to make the fruit dip.  I didn't have time to run to the store, and my husband was getting some much needed rest from staying up all night smoking a brisket, which was FABULOUS!!!  I prepped the jalapeno peppers the night before and stored them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.  This made party day less stressful and they were assembled and cooked quickly.

Ingredients:

12 fresh jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices american cheese, finely diced
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
cumin
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil.  Prepare the jalapeno peppers.  Slice the tops off, cut the peppers lengthwise in half, and cut out the membrane and seeds.  

Place the cooled jalapenos on the prepared baking sheet.  In a large bowl, add the cheeses, bacon, and spices.  Stir to combine.  Add cheese mixture to each jalapeno half. 

In a small bowl, melt the butter and add the panko bread crumbs.  Stir to combine.  Sprinkle some bread crumbs on each stuffed jalapeno and press down to pack it tight.  This will help you cheese from oozing out. 

Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted.  Turn the broiler on and cook another minute or so until bread crumbs are lightly browned.  Remove and place on a serving platter.  I served these with cayenne pepper sour cream.  Ranch dressing is always a good topper too!  Enjoy!

Linked up at Tailgating Time - The Tiny Skillet