
Ah, the Southern life. Whenever we feel the need for ultimate comfort recipes we turn to Southern Living magazine‘s new Feel Good Food cookbook. These cheese-stuffed bacon-wrapped okra poppers sure sound like they’ll make us feel good. Chiefly, we like the part where we don’t have to hollow out, stuff and deep-fry 30 jalapeños.
Ingredients
- 16 slices bacon
- 1 pound okra
- 1 8-ounce container chive cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- vegetable cooking spray
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425° with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Cook bacon, in 2 batches, in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or just until bacon begins to curl; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels.
- Cut each slice in half crosswise. Discard drippings.
- Cut each okra pod lengthwise down 1 side, leaving stem and other side of pod intact; remove seeds and membranes.
- Stir together cream cheese and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Carefully pipe/spoon cheese mixture into cavity of each okra pod.
- Wrap each stuffed okra pod with 1 bacon piece, and secure with a wooden pick.
- Place half of okra, cheese side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until okra is tender and bacon is crisp.
- Transfer to a serving platter; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining half of okra. Serve warm.
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