Two-Step Jalapeño Poppers

Slice jalapeños in half lengthwise. Be sure to leave the stems on. They look awful pretty that way, and they can offer your guests a “handle” so they’re easy to pick up.

Carefully remove the membrane and the seeds from each half. Make sure you use gloves when you do this, especially if you’ve picked some hot peppers. Set your jalapeños aside while you whip up the filling.

For the filling, brown the sausage in a large skillet. Drain the fat and return the sausage to the skillet over low-to-medium heat. Add the cream cheese and stir until cheese is slightly melted and completely ooey-gooey over the sausage.

Stuff each jalapeño half with the filling and line each one up on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.