A few weeks ago on Instagram I asked what kind of recipes you’d like to see me make here and one of the most common answers?! Football snacks! I don’t blame ya either, football snacks are the best part of the entire game….hands down…obviously…duh. I put a fun spin on a classic appetizer with these Sausage and Bacon Jalapeno Poppers. I’m not gonna lie, after one taste I was surprised the points were so low! I mean – ooey gooey cheese, smokey sausage, and crispy bacon… show can you resist?! Two of these loaded guys are just 3 Blue WW SmartPoints/4 Green WW SmartPoints!
The babies are super simple to make and ready from the oven in just 25 minutes! You start by cutting jalapenos in half and removing the seeds. Next you place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and stuff them with a delicious mixture of cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic, and paprika. You pop a piece of sausage on top and wrap everything up with bacon. That’s it! They bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or so until the bacon is crispy and the cheese is bubbling and brown.
For the sausage I went with Gilbert’s Craft Sausages Bourbon Apple Chicken Sausage (sounds football appropriate, right?!) You can check their store locator to see where you can find them near you but if they aren’t available, don’t worry, simply substitute your favorite kind of precooked sausage! These are 3 smart points/link so try to find one for around the same points. Alternatively, you can leave the sausage out all together but just so ya know, it doesn’t reduce the points and I love the extra flavor from the sausage so I highly recommend a sausage of some sort.
Put these on your menu for game day and let me know how you like them – they’re sure to be a crowd pleaser! Recipe makes 6 servings – 2 poppers/serving at 3 Blue WW SmartPoints/4 Green WW SmartPoints. Enjoy!
- 6 medium jalapeno peppers
- 1 Gilbert's Craft Sausages Bourbon Apple Chicken Sausage*
- 6 pieces of bacon**
- ½ cup Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
- ¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ¼ tsp paprika + additional for sprinkling
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Cut each jalapeno in half length-wise and use the tip of a spoon to remove the seeds and any white membranes. Place pepper halves on baking sheet.
- In a small bowl mix together cream cheese, mozzarella, paprika, and garlic. Place a small spoonful of the mixture into each pepper half (about 1 tbsp in each).
- Cut the sausage in half length-wise. Cut each half in half again. You should have four long pieces. Cut each piece into 3 equal sections. You will have 12 rectangluar pieces of sausage. Place one piece of sausage on top of each popper.
- Cut the bacon slices in half so that you have 12 pieces of bacon. Wrap one of the pieces around each popper, so that the seem is on the bottom of the pepper. Make sure the peppers are sitting upright so the cheese doesn't spill out. Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of additional paprika.
- Bake in the oven for 25-28 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and cooked to your preferred doneness, and the cheese is bubbly and brown.
- Carefully transfer from baking tray to a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Enjoy.
*If you can't find this sausage you can substitute another pre-cooked sausage. These are 3 smart points/link.
**Look for bacon that is 1 smart point/piece.
Feel free to multiply recipe for additional servings!
Nutritional information is calculated with MyFitnessPal and may vary based on brands used. Smart Points information is calculated with the Weight Watchers app and may also vary based on brands used.
I am so excited you are making one of my recipes and I would love to see how it turns out! Make sure to share it on Instagram and tag me @rachelshealtyplate and use #rachelshealthyplate so I can see your creation!
