It has the right amount of creamy cheese, salty bacon, crispy bacon, pepper, and the perfect taste of Hillshire Farm Litl Smokies. These Bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers are the best little appetizers for you holiday parties!.
Bacon wrapped jalapeños are a spicy and delicious appetizer that’s sure to be a hit at any party or gathering. The crispy, smoky bacon pairs perfectly with the fresh kick of jalapeños. And the great news is you can easily find all the ingredients you need to make this tasty treat at your local Kroger store.
In this step-by-step guide we’ll walk you through exactly how to cook mouthwatering bacon wrapped jalapeños using ingredients from Kroger. With just a few simple steps you’ll have a show-stopping appetizer that will wow your guests.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients from Kroger
Cooking up these bacon wrapped wonders starts with getting your ingredients, Here’s what you’ll need to grab from your Kroger store
-
Jalapeños – Find these in the produce aisle. Look for fresh, firm jalapeños without any blemishes.
-
Bacon – The bacon aisle at Kroger has lots of options Go for high-quality bacon for the best results,
-
Cream cheese – Pick up a brick of regular cream cheese from the dairy section.
-
Toothpicks or skewers – Found in the kitchen gadgets area, these help hold the bacon wrapped jalapeños together.
-
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional) – Add some extra cheesy flavor by tossing cheddar on top.
That’s it! Now you’ve got everything you need from Kroger to make these crowd-pleasing bacon wrapped jalapeños.
Step 2: Prepare the Jalapeños
Preparing the jalapeños is an important first step. Here’s how to get them ready for bacon wrapping:
-
Carefully slice each jalapeño in half lengthwise.
-
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membranes. This reduces their heat.
-
Rinse the jalapeño halves thoroughly to remove any remaining seeds.
-
Pat the jalapeño halves dry with paper towels.
-
Wear gloves when handling jalapeños to avoid skin irritation.
Take your time prepping the jalapeños. The payoff of stuffing them with yummy cream cheese and bacon makes it worth the effort!
Step 3: Fill the Jalapeños with Cream Cheese
Now the fun part – filling the jalapeños with cream cheese! Follow these instructions:
-
Lay out all the prepped jalapeño halves on a clean work surface.
-
Open the package of cream cheese and scoop out tablespoon-sized amounts.
-
Fill each jalapeño half equally with the cream cheese.
-
Use a small spatula or knife to spread the cream cheese evenly inside each jalapeño half.
Stuff those babies nice and full! Don’t be shy with the cream cheese. It adds a cool, creamy contrast to the jalapeños’ heat.
Step 4: Wrap with Bacon
Next up – wrapping the cream cheese-stuffed jalapeños with glorious bacon. Here’s how:
-
Take each slice of bacon and cut it in half widthwise.
-
Wrap each jalapeño half tightly with a bacon slice half, ensuring it’s fully covered.
-
Gently press the bacon around the jalapeño so it sticks.
-
Use toothpicks or skewers to secure the bacon if needed.
Wrapping those spicy jalapeños in crispy bacon seals in all the flavors and creates bacon wrapped perfection!
Step 5: Bake the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños
Now it’s time to bake these babies! Follow these instructions:
-
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
-
Arrange the bacon wrapped jalapeños on the baking sheet, seam side down.
-
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the bacon is crispy.
-
Remove pan from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.
The hot oven cooks the bacon to crispy, savory perfection. Just keep an eye on them so the bacon doesn’t burn.
And that’s it – you’ve just baked incredible bacon wrapped jalapeños from Kroger!
Step 6: Add toppings (optional)
If you want to take your bacon wrapped wonders over the top, add some tasty toppings!
-
Lightly sprinkle shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese on top of each jalapeño right before serving.
-
Drizzle with ranch dressing or sour cream for a cool contrast.
-
Dip in guacamole, salsa, or Greek yogurt for extra flavor.
With endless topping options, you can customize these to suit any taste. Get creative and make them your own!
Step 7: Serve and Enjoy!
Time for the best part – devouring these delicious bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers! Here are a few serving tips:
-
Arrange toasted bites on a platter for easy grab-and-go snacking.
-
Set out napkins – these can get a little messy!
-
Use toothpicks or skewers so guests don’t burn fingers.
-
Offer cooling dips like ranch or guacamole to balance the heat.
-
Pair with ice-cold beers or margaritas for a perfect spicy-cool combo.
Your homemade bacon wrapped jalapeños from Kroger are sure to be a huge hit at parties, tailgates, game day, or any event. Now dig in and enjoy!
Handling Jalapeños Safely
Jalapeños contain oils that can irritate skin and eyes. When prepping them:
-
Wear gloves to avoid direct contact with jalapeños.
-
Avoid touching your face and wash hands thoroughly after handling.
-
Take care not to rub eyes – irritation can be extremely painful.
-
Remove all seeds and membranes to greatly reduce heat.
With proper precautions, you can safely enjoy these spicy peppers without uncomfortable aftermath.
Storing Leftovers
Have extra bacon wrapped jalapeños left over? Here are some storage tips:
-
Allow jalapeños to cool completely before storing.
-
Place in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
-
Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days maximum.
-
To reheat, bake at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until hot and crispy.
Storing leftovers lets you enjoy these tasty morsels again later. Just be sure to consume within a few days for best quality.
Customize with Different Fillings
Don’t limit yourself to just cream cheese! Consider using other fillings:
-
Cheddar, pepper jack, or goat cheese
-
Whipped feta or ricotta cheese
-
Caramelized onions or roasted red peppers
-
Cooked ground beef, sausage, or bacon
-
Sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or kale
-
Mashed avocado, black beans, or corn
Mix up the flavors by experimenting with different creamy, savory, or spicy fillings. The options are endless!
Make an Entire Bacon and Jalapeño Meal
Why stop at just an appetizer? You can incorporate bacon and jalapeños throughout an entire meal:
-
Jalapeño bacon cheeseburgers
-
Bacon jalapeño mac and cheese
-
Jalapeño bacon breakfast tacos
-
BLT salad with jalapeño bacon dressing
-
Bacon jalapeño pork chops
-
Bacon wrapped jalapeño chicken breasts
With bacon and jalapeños, you can infuse spicy, smoky flavor into any dish!
Ready for a Party Pleaser!
Armed with this handy guide, you have everything you need to whip up the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer using ingredients from Kroger.
These bacon wrapped jalapeños are sure to be a hit at your next party or game day gathering. The spicy kick of fresh jalapeños balanced by cool, creamy cheese and crispy bacon is a match made in flavor heaven.
So head to your local Kroger store, grab the essentials, and get ready to wow guests with your own homemade bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers!
BAKING YOUR BACON WRAPPED JALAPEÑO POPPERS
Place on a sheet pan lined with foil. Bake for about 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the bacon is nice and crispy.
INGREDIENTS FOR BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERS
All these ingredients can be found at your local Kroger stores (We shop at Fred Meyer)! They make it easy and take the stress out of all your holiday shopping and party needs. You can find the lil smokies in the fresh meat isle, next to the bacon and sausage. I found the Wright bacon and the Hillshire Farm Litl Smokies cocktail sausages right next to each other.
For a twist on the classic jalapeno popper, I love adding these Hillshire Farm Litl Smokies. They are full of spices and flavor that make the popper even better. Adding them also gives the popper a nice bite to them.
- 1 package Hillshire Farm Litl Smokies
- 6-8 large jalapeños
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- bacon- preferably not thick cut
- toothpicks
Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Made In The Oven
How do you wrap a Jalapeno with bacon?
Add bacon wraps. After they have been stuffed, wrap the bacon fairly tightly around each jalapeno and arrange it so that the seam where the bacon ends is on the bottom of the jalapeno. Doing this tends to keep them wrapped without using toothpicks, but you can secure the bacon with a toothpick to help it stay put if you need to though.
What are the healthy substitutes of jalapeno?
The healthy substitutes of jalapeno are: 1. Serrano pepper: When compared with the jalapeno pepper, the serrano pepper has very similar taste. They are bright but don’t have the same level of bitterness. 2. Fresno peppers: Another jalapeno look alike pepper is the fresno peppers. They also have same heat range but fresno peppers are sometimes little hotter and can be up to 10,000 SHU. Fresno peppers have a crisp, smokey and fruity flavour. 3. Anaheim peppers: If jalapeno peppers are too hot, then Anaheim peppers are best choice. They have milder heat and have sweeter in taste.
What is a bacon wrapped jalapeo pepper?
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Peppers are (in our humble opinion) creamy, crispy, spicy and yummy. Heat oven to 425ºF. Combine cheeses; spoon into pepper halves. Wrap with bacon, overlapping edges as necessary.
What is the best way to cook bacon and jalapenos?
Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Save bacon grease on your pan. Let crispy bacon bits rest on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess grease. In pan of bacon grease over medium heat, add chopped jalapeños and cook until softened and edges are browned, about 3 minutes.