Lazy Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese (With Bacon!)

After the craziness that was last week with the announcement of my book release, this week has been strangely calm. Won’t last long since I’ll soon have my book back with edits needing applied, and things will only get crazier from there to May 6^th and beyond. But for now I’m enjoying a more relaxed week, including making easy recipes. Since you all have been so great and supportive, I wanted to share one of my favorite, lazy recipes and how I discovered it.

I’m lazy. Very lazy. That’s your random fact about me for the day. But laziness has it’s advantages. For our purpose today, that advantage is when I discovered Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese. See, I may be lazy, but I also adore good food.

One night I was feeling lazy *cough*like usual*cough* and decided something quick and easy was going to be what was for dinner. Grilled cheese it is, I told myself. But then I also told myself I didn’t want plain grilled cheese. That just wouldn’t make my palate happy.

Enter the conundrum. Do I stop being lazy and make something happier? Or do my taste buds buck up and eat the grilled cheese? Then I remembered I could make tuna melts with pineapple slices. Still simple, but taste wise I was feeling very ~meh.

So googled some and found a jalapeno grilled cheese- uh, yum! But when I looked at the recipe I was like, what? Is that even a type of cheese? (Don’t even remember what it was now, something odd). And it wanted me to take a bunch of weird steps with jalapenos and I thought, self this might taste good, but I don’t have the ingredients and it’s not a lazy recipe. To which I replied, well self, we’ll just have to fix those issues, now won’t we? (Then I stopped talking to myself before someone caught me at it.)

And so the lazy man’s (or woman’s) Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich was born. And quickly became one of our favorites. Hope the recipe isn’t too lax for you and that you can enjoy it’s gooey, spicy, bacony goodness.

 

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Serves 2

First, if you don’t know how to make grilled cheese, go to a search on goolge or pinterest and find out. Then come back and have your taste buds blown. Seriously. This is one of the easiest, but best foods I’ve ever made. It’s quickly become a staple at our house. I wish I would have thought of it sooner.

• 4 Bread Slices

• Slices Munster, Mozzarella, Provolone, or any other of your favorite white, gooey cheese

• Cream Cheese, brought to room temperature

• 3-4 slices of cooked bacon, in bite size pieces (can leave whole, but easier to bite into)

• 2 good sized Jalapenos, deseeded

Slice jalapenos in little half circles. Or whatever size you like them. Saute them in the left over bacon fat from cooking the bacon over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. This method will make it a little peppery-smokey in your house. Or you can microwave them. (See? Very relaxed recipe). You can even leave them uncooked, they’ll just have more of a fresh taste than a softer jalapeno popper taste.

Once they’re cooked, assemble your sandwiches.

Butter, spray with olive oil, or use be really naughty and use the left over bacon grease.* I know, unhealthy when you know how it will kill your arteries but so yummy. Spread cream cheese on the non greased side of one bread slice. Sprinkle on jalapenos and bacon. Heck, add more jalapenos and/or bacon than the recipe calls for if you like. Top with the cheese of your choice. Finally, top with the 2nd slice of bread, greased side facing out.

Cook over a mediumish heat (yes mediumish, I told you it was lax). Do what works for you, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn (unless of course you like burned, then by all means, go ahead and burn it). Once golden on both sides, remove from heat.

If desired, slice into triangles or squares. And prepare to have your mind blown over how easily your taste buds are brought scrumptiousness.

*note, you can butter the outside of the bread after the sandwich are made, but things tend to fall out of the sandwich, my way of thinking, better to get your hands a little greasy and wash them when you’re done.