Wonton Poppers

Printable version

This is my favorite Super Bowl creation for 2014 - jalapeño wonton poppers. Which combines ... you guessed it ... Jalapeno poppers and wontons!

Wonton wrappers are paper-thin sheets made from flour, water, eggs and salt and are sold pre-packaged at most super markets. They can be filled with any number of ingredients or fillings and are usually steamed, boiled or fried. They are the Chinese cuisine equivalent to the Italian ravioli. The wonton is the perfect devise to deliver the popper filling for this recipe comprised of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, cayenne pepper and jalapeño.

Tradition poppers use either half or a whole jalapeño stuffed with filling and if you’re a popper fan like me, this means you may end up eating lots of jalapeños by the end of the night because they are simply to powerful to resist. Adding the jalapeño to the filling and using the wonton to deliver it requires much less of the spicy pepper and will help reduce indigestion caused by a spice overload.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Wonton poppers

I have passed by wonton wrappers a number of times in the last couple months, picked up a package and pondered what I should make with them, only to put them back and move on. This time I went to the store knowing what I wanted to do. I have learned to be careful when impulse buying unique items, like wonton wrappers, that are perishable.

I often buy things with the intent of making it in a couple of days or sometime during the week and the items sit in the fridge or pantry. The couple of days turns into a week and next week turns to two weeks and eventually what I bought has spoiled, dried out or wilted. I have gotten better at using everything I buy, but I still occasionally throw out an item or two. These wonton wrappers are easy to put off until tomorrow and very susceptible to being forgotten about until it's to late.

I know because it has happened to me twice in the last two of years.

So, if you’re not gonna make this recipe in the next couple days WAIT to buy the wonton wrappers. Don't just buy them to have 'em, they're easy to forget about and let go to waste.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Wonton poppers

Makes 24 to 28; 45 minutes
4 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
3 Jalapeños, seeded, diced
1 C Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Cream cheese, room temp
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
24 to 28 Wonton wrappers
Oil for frying

Make filling
In a bowl mix together bacon, jalapeno, cheddar cheese and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.

Fill wantons
With a scoop, grab a teaspoon of the filling and place it in the middle of a wanton wrapper. Wet the edges, fold opposite corners together, then pinch to seal. Repeat until filling is gone.

Fry
Heat at least 1-inch of oil to 350° in a fry pan. In batches, fry wantons until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn at least once in the oil while cooking. Remove to a paper towel let cool a little, then serve.

Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Printable version

Jalapeño poppers got their name from the marketing of the frozen snacks. The term “Popper” has been used for the last 30 years to market a variety of treats and appetizers, not just the cheese stuffed chiles though.

There are many who believe the jalapeño popper is an American adaptation of chili rellenos. Whether this is true can not really be proven, but the two are strikingly similar. Reports have surfaced that cheese stuffed breaded jalapeños were being served around the San Diego area as far back as the 1960s. But an exact origin of the popper is hard to pinpoint.

There is one thing about the popper I know for sure – I love them! They have to be one of my favorite snacks of all-time. I made my own version a while back here at Behind the Bites in which I transformed the ingredients to suit my preferences. It's my own take on the popper, but whatever the version I think it's hard to go wrong with the combination of cheese, bacon and jalapeños.

For this recipe, I take all those great flavors and distribute them on a pizza. The cream and cheddar cheeses, bacon and jalapeño help this pie burst with flavor. This is a must try for pizza or popper lovers alike - it's also a great way to ease the younger ones into more spicy foods.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I use a lot of pre-made pizza crusts to make pizza. I always keep a package in my pantry. It makes pizza a 30-minute meal or a quick lunch. I use Momma Mary’s Thin and Crispy crusts exclusively.

I think they are the best, but many pre-made pizza crusts just plain suck. I would name a few but I’m not here to bash, I will only endorse Momma Mary’s. Their thin crusts are like a soft buttery cracker delivering the toppings. When canned dough is not an option or there is not enough time and energy to make dough from scratch, the Momma can be trusted.

Like I said, I always keep a package in the pantry, and NO I’m not getting paid by Momma Mary’s to write this. I recently had some horrifically bad pre-made pizza crust and it made me appreciate the quality of their product – so I thought I would give them a shout. But, if an employee of Momma Mary's does reads this, I encourage you to tell your boss and consider sending me a case ... the Thin and Crispy style.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Make 2 12” pizzas; 30 minutes
Divide over 2 12” pizza crusts
8 oz Cream cheese
6 Jalapeños, sliced
1/2 C Bacon, crumbled
1 C Cheddar cheese, shredded

Assemble and bake pizza
On pizza crust layer cream cheese, jalapeño, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.