Bar food staple jalapeno poppers baked in oven

Everything about jalapeno poppers is fun. It’s no wonder they’re a bar food staple. They require minimal commitment to eat — each is just a bite or two with no cutlery necessary. As the name suggests, you just pop one in your mouth and let the flavor begin. Inside their golden crisp coating there’s the thrill of the pepper and eating it is a little like accepting a playful dare, because you never know exactly how much heat it will pack. No worries though, because the center is packed with a creamy, cheesy filling to immediately quench any heat.

This recipe delivers all that enjoyment, but in a more healthful way than the typical fried version, so you feel just as good after eating them as you do while you are popping away. These are baked, so while they are amply crispy thanks to their olive oil-coated panko bread crumb crust, they are not at all greasy. Also, their creamy stuffing is less dense, taking advantage of a light blend of cheeses, ricotta and whipped cream cheese spiked with just enough shredded Monterey Jack.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

2 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese (½ cup packed) 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh

cilantro leaves

10 medium jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded, stems trimmed to ½-inch 3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt, divided use ¼ teaspoon ground black

pepper, divided use 2 eggs

1 cup plain panko bread

crumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon olive oil

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking oil spray.

In a bowl, stir together the Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, ricotta cheese and cilantro until well incorporated. Use about 2 teaspoons of the mixture to fill each jalapeno half.

Spread flour on a plate and season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Spread the panko bread crumbs on a separate plate and season with the garlic powder and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Toss the seasoned bread crumbs with oil until evenly coated.

Toss each stuffed jalapeno in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then in the egg, and finally in the seasoned panko, shaking off the excess. Each piece should be completely coated in the mixture. Arrange the coated jalapenos, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Roast (upper rack) for 30 to 35 minutes, until the coating is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Serve warm.

Makes 20 pieces. Nutrition information: Each piece contains approximately 45 calories, 2 g protein, 3 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates (no sugar), 20 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium and no fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 0.