Jalapeño Popper Bites and Cheese Balls

INGREDIENTS

Jalapeno Popper Bites

• 2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 2 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded, plus more for topping
• 2-3 Eggs Large
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 10 oz Cream Cheese
• 4 Bacon Strips cooked and chopped
• 4 Jalapenos seeded, diced, plus 24 sliced for topping
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray for greasing

Jalapeno Cheese Balls

• 16 oz Cream Cheese softened
• 1 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Chives fresh, minced
• 1 cup Jalapenos seeded and finely diced
• 6-8 Bacon Slices
• 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar shredded
• 1/2 Red Onion medium, thinly minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Jalapeno Cheese Bites

1. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
2. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and fill each cup with a heaping tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture. Press into the pan firmly to form wells. Set aside
3. In another large bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon, diced jalapeños, salt and pepper
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
5. Fill the bread crumb wells with a 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Top each cup with a bit of shredded cheddar and a jalapeño slice
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cups are golden brown. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Cheese Balls

1. To make the bacon jalapeño popper cheese balls: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, cheddar, jalapeño, 1/2 cup bacon, red onion, black pepper, and Cayenne. Mix well until fluffy. Set aside
2. On a shallow plate, transfer the remaining 1 cup of crumbled bacon, then using a cookie scoop, scoop out one ball of cheese filling and toss it into the bacon crumbles. Continue until all cheese balls have been rolled in the bacon coating
3. Refrigerate the bacon jalapeño popper cheese balls until ready to serve. Enjoy!