Fried Jalapeños

Jalapeños have a wonderful flavor, If you remove the seeds and internal stems, you get a great tasting chile pepper without as much heat. These little devils are great to munch on before a Tex-Mex meal.

• 1 14-ounce can whole pickled jalapeños
• 1/2 pound Longhorn cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• oil for deep-frying

Cut the tops off the jalapeños and scoop out the seeds. Stuff each jalapeño with one-half to one tablespoon grated Longhorn cheese, pressing it down into the pepper with your finger.

In a bowl, combine the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl, stir the salt and pepper into the flour. Roll the filled jalapeños in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, then again in the flour mixture. Set aside to allow the coating to set while you bring the temperature of the oil to 350°F degrees.

Deep-fry the jalapeños until they are golden brown (1 or 2 minutes).

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Note: If your supermarket doesn't have Longhorn cheese, medium-sharp cheddar can be substituted.