There’s nothing more exciting than an improvised party. Well, at least for the guests; for the hosts, not so much. Still, it’s hard to say no to a party, and if you’re as committed as me to throwing an excellent one, you’ll probably want to wow your guests, even if you’re running against the clock.
The key to leaving a great impression with your guests is definitely in the food and snacks you offer, and although it would seem that the easiest and fastest choice is buying tons of chips and candy, the truth is there are so many yummy snacks you can pull off without spending too much time or money. So, add some jalapeño peppers to your shopping list and surprise everybody with these delicious and easy-to-make poppers.
Bacon-wrapped poppers
The easiest way to give a twist to this classic snack is by adding some bacon. You can fill them with basically anything you like, but we all know that the best thing to pair with bacon is cheese. I recommend going for one that isn’t that strong tasting, like cream cheese or light cheddar. To make the bacon crispy, you can either roast it in the oven or fry it.
Crispy chip poppers
If you want to add some variety to your poppers plater, you can use the same cheese filling, and instead of wrapping the peppers with bacon, you can add some crushed chips to the mix (here you can experiment and choose strong flavors to contrast with the softness of the cheese). This won’t only add a unique flavor, but will also give your poppers an interesting texture everybody will love.
Lasagna poppers
This might be the only idea on our list that will require a little bit more time, but it’s not that much, I promise. You’ll only need to cook your lasagne sheets beforehand and heat up some marinara sauce. Wrap your poppers (I also recommend using a soft filling), add some sauce and cheese, and put them in the oven a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.
Mac and cheese poppers
It’s a beautiful combination of two of the best snacks ever. As you’d do with any of these poppers, after cooking them a bit in the oven, you just have to fill it with your favorite mac and cheese recipe. I’d add a bit of coriander and some cheese (preferably a different type from the one you used in your preparation, like parmesan) and bake it a bit more to melt the cheese more thoroughly.
Buffalo chicken poppers
Speaking of the best of both worlds, why not mix the delicious essence of buffalo wings with the unique spiciness of jalapeños. Warning, this is only for the brave! The preparation is just as easy as the previous snacks: mix cream cheese, shredded chicken, and your favorite buffalo sauce, and you’re good to go!
Jalapeño bites
Ok, this one’s going to be a bit different from the previous ones. To make them, you’ll need to grind your jalapeño peppers (make sure you remove the seeds and veins) and mix them with cream cheese (or another type, like cheddar or Monterey Jack, or all of them), some herbs, and bacon if you want to add more flavor to the bite. Make small balls with the mixture, coat them with whipped eggs, then breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot oil till they look deliciously golden.
Puff pastry poppers
There’s nothing in this world that doesn’t go well with puff pastry. This recipe is actually one of the easiest of the list, you’ll just need to get some puff pastry sheets and cut them in triangles. Fill your peppers with anything you want (it can be cheese if you want them to be simple or even add some ground beef, chicken, sausage… anything, really) and wrap them with the pastry triangles. Coat them with egg to give them a shiny look and put them in the oven until the pastry is golden and fully cooked. And then you can dip them in some marinara sauce!
Popper hot dogs
Hot dogs are a classic party snack that everybody loves. To make these delicious jalapeño dogs, you’ll just have to cut off the edges and remove the seeds and veins (you’ll probably need a couple of peppers to cover the sausage). You can previously make an incision through the sausage to add cheese; once you have them as you like, grill them and serve with your favorite condiments.
These jalapeño popper recipes are really easy to make and they won’t take you more than half an hour. The best part is, everybody will be so pleased with them, they will probably ask you to bring them to every party or make you organize gatherings every week!
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