Baked Jalapeno Poppers with Spicy Prosciutto

I can't believe I've never made Jalapeno Poppers before.  Maybe I found the whole battered and deep fried thing intimidating.  Here's the good news - they can be baked without all that greasy stuff and still be sinfully good, borderline addictive.

The fun part is, you can stuff these puppies with anything!  However, I do recommend cream cheese as your main ingredient.  A favorite food combo in my family is goat cheese and prosciutto.  So I slapped them in there.  Add a little cilantro, lime juice and Mexican cheese blend and your done.  Salty, spicy and creamy, oh my!

Please be careful handling your Jalapenos.  These little peppers can reap havoc on your skin, under your nails, on your lips and your eyes.  The interior and seeds of the pepper are evil.  It's wise to wear plastic gloves while slicing in half, removing the seeds and core.  If you don't have gloves, wear little plastic baggies on your hands. If you don't have baggies, be sure to wash your hands immediately after handling, with soap and water.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers with Spicy Prosciutto

Yield: 16
Ingredients

• 8 jalapenos halved lengthwise, seeded and deveined
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1/4 cup green onion, copped
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced and diced
• kosher salt to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In an food processor place cheeses, green onions, cilantro and lime juice. Pulse until blended.
3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in prosciutto and salt if needed.
4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay out jalapeno halves.
5. Spoon cheese mixture into jalapenos. Don't overload, or jalapenos will tip.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and place uner broiler for 2 minutes for a browned top.