by Megan Winfrey

I am a very proud Texan, and anyone who knows me will attest to it. I am a 7th generation, bluebonnet tattoo sportin' BBQ snob who wouldn't dare order unsweetened tea. There are many reasons to love our great state - politics ain't one of 'em - but jalapeño poppers sure are! Poppers are one of those things that seem truly unique to Texas. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've met quite a few others* who had never heard of or experienced the euphoria of a perfect jalapeño popper. The horror! Lucky for us, we live in Texas, where they even sell pre-made poppers at the grocery store. But these...oh, these are much better. I made the mistake of trying one before photographing them, and we're lucky I was able to stop myself long enough to snap some.

*people not from Texas

Spicy Turkey Jalapeño Poppers

• 15-20 jalapeño peppers
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 (8 oz.) packets of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese, divided
• 1 tbs. chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Wear rubber gloves while preparing the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs. Line them up on a foil lined baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, add cream cheese, mayonnaise, half of the cheese, and the spices. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer.

In a skillet, cook the turkey over medium-high until fully cooked and broken apart. Stir the turkey into the cream cheese mixture while hot, and combine well. Fill each jalapeño boat with the turkey mixture, piling each one slightly. Top each with the remaining cheese, or more if necessary.

Bake in the top third of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned on top.

Serve immediately.