Jalapeno Poppers

MAKES: about 2 dozen poppers

COOK TIME: 10 Min

Trendy restaurants serve cheese-stuffed jalapeno peppers as an appetizer. And you can make your kitchen just as trendy when you make Jalapeno Poppers yourself.

What You'll Need

12 medium-sized fresh jalapeno peppers
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal, divided
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

What to Do

Split peppers in half lengthwise, cutting through stems, then remove the seeds.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Firmly press a heaping teaspoonful of the cheese mixture into each pepper half . Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal, the milk, salt, and pepper. In another medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup cornmeal.
Dip stuffed pepper halves into milk mixture then into the dry mixture, coating thoroughly with each.
Fill a large saucepan or soup pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully fry a few peppers at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.