Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

The holidays were great- fun and busy... but, over the course of the past two months, I somehow managed to accumulate an incredibly large amount of beer.  I love wine, so I'm not sure how all of this beer came to be, but it added up to be 48 Coors Lights, 28 Michelob Ultras, 10 Bud Lights, 8 Miller Lights, and 1 Keystone tallboy.  It was a combination of leftovers from BYOB Christmas parties, going on a b-double e-double r-u-n in Wichita, and my 3rd Annual Holiday Cocktail party (click here for my 2010 Christmas party stories!) There is no feasible way that this beer was all going to be consumed before it expired (yes, beer expires), so Andy suggested that I have a "Come Drink My Beer Leftover From the Holidays" Party... so I did!  I sent out a mass text to my friends telling them of my beer-debacle, and asking for their help in solving my surplus problem.  It seems free beer and football watching is the key to friendship because ten people showed up ready to consume.  I had told everyone to bring something to throw on the grill, so we had beer bratwursts, 6 pounds of beef fajita meat (thanks to Thomas and the Mexican meat market), steaks, and stuffed jalapeno poppers.


So you know what you're looking for at the grocery store :)

I have posted before about the stuffed jalapeno peppers (click here for more), but I didn't put up the recipe at the time.  They are great as a side, but ours weren't quite ready when the main food was, so they didn't get as much attention as they deserved.  I make a Fiesta Ranch Dip for chips and veggies all the time, so I keep the packets on hand- a super quick snack food, and fat free when mixed with fat free sour cream!  It's a powder that you mix with sour cream... normally.  I already had a batch of regular ranch dip mixed up, so I decided to mix the Fiesta Ranch mix with creamed cheese.  We then stuffed the jalapeno peppers with the Fiesta Ranch Creamed Cheese mixture and wrapped them in turkey bacon- healthy and delicious!

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
Kate Strickland & Andy Jennings
Makes as many servings as you buy of peppers
 

Stuffing the jalapenos with Fiesta Ranch Creamed Cheese

• Jalapeno peppers (as many as you want to make, our tray held 24)
• 1 tub (8 oz) fat free creamed cheese
• 1 package turkey bacon
• 1 package Fiesta Ranch dip mix (available by the salad dressings or chips in your grocery store) 
• Toothpicks

1. Wash peppers
2. Slice the tops off of the peppers and scoop out seeds and white middle with a spoon or knife
3. Poke a hole in the bottom of each pepper with a toothpick or fork prong
4. Mix Fiesta Ranch dip with creamed cheese
5. Spoon dip into peppers
6. Wrap peppers with turkey bacon and hold bacon on by sticking a toothpick through the bacon & jalapeno pepper
7. Place on grill for 30-45 mins (or until bacon appears cooked) *Note: turkey bacon stays a light color- just because it is still light pink does not mean that it isn't cooked!

Enjoy!