Stuffed Jalapenos

It's that time of year again... the Super Bowl! Last year we made Short Rib Nachos, and they were a huge hit. This year, Seamus (the real football fan of the house) was in Greenland, so I didn't go quite as all-out.

I love jalapeno poppers, but if I eat too much of them I inevitably get sick. This recipe is lighter than most out there, and cutting out the seeds and membranes really does help to keep these to a reasonable heat. They have a little bit of a bite, but aren't going to blow your taste buds.

I forgot to take a picture of these when I was at home, and they were eaten up right away when I got to my friend John's house for the party. So instead of a picture of the food for this one, you will get a picture of my friends at the Super Bowl party! Enjoy!

Stuffed Jalapenos

Courtesy of "Cook This, Not That" by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding

Ingredients
4 oz fresh Mexican style chorizo, casings removed
1 cup cremini or button mushrooms, diced
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 cup shredded Montery Jack cheese
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
12 jalapeno peppers

Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cooke the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, using a wooden spoon to break up any clumps that form. Once cooked through, remove the meat and drain off all but a thin layer of fat. Add the mushrooms and onion to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Stir back in the chorizo.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the chorizo mixture, cheese, cream cheese, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Halve the jalapenos vertically. Use a paring knife to cut and scrape out as much of the white membranes and seeds in each pepper as possible.
5. Stuff each pepper half with a spoonful of the cheese-chorizo mixture. Line up the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the cheese browns and bubbles.