I have always liked jalapeno peppers, not too big or small, medium heat and great flavor.  I’ve seen recipes for stuffed peppers, but almost all of them are done in the oven.  When jalapenos are in season, its too hot to crank on the oven for appetizers.  I wanted to put them on the grill but give them enough time to cook for the pepper to mellow and soften.  If you turn down the heat, it works wonderfully.  To give the filling enough flavor to stand up to the pepper itself, I used goat cheese with bacon jam and fresh cilantro.  Top them with a sprinkling of panko bread crumbs for a little crunch on the top.  I made them for my oldest son’s birthday celebration.  We ate them first then had pasta with pesto sauce, grilled meatballs and broccoli and a dark chocolate cheesecake for dessert.

You’ll need:

12 medium size fresh jalapeno peppers

10 oz package of goat cheese

1/2 cup bacon jam

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Wearing gloves, cut jalapenos in half length wise, remove seeds and inner membranes.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl combine goat cheese, bacon jam and cilantro.  Using a small spoon (old baby spoons work great for this), fill the peppers with the cheese mixture and place in a grill basket lined with foil.  Continue until all peppers are well filled and placed flat in the basket.  Sprinkle generously with bread crumbs.

Heat your grill to 350 F leaving the center burner off.  Roast for about 40 minutes until peppers are softened and crumbs begin to brown.

Remove and let cool for a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!