Valerie Bertinelli Calls Her Jalapeño Poppers Recipe a ‘Personal Victory’ After Struggling with Her Body (Exclusive)

Ana Calderone
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"Deep-fried jalapeño poppers sent me to Jenny Craig years ago, but I was eating them for all the wrong reasons," says the cookbook author

<p>John Russo</p> Valerie Bertinelli; Her Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

John Russo

Valerie Bertinelli; Her Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

After years of dieting, Valerie Bertinelli says sharing this “wildly delicious” dish is a “personal victory.”

"Deep-fried jalapeño poppers sent me to Jenny Craig years ago, but I was eating them for all the wrong reasons," she writes in her new cookbook, Indulge (out now). "In fact, I don’t think I ever 'tasted' a single one. So, including this recipe is a personal victory of sorts."

These days, “I don’t deny myself anything,” she tells PEOPLE for this week's cover story. "I think what do I want, as opposed to what am I going to eat because I need to be careful about calories."

Bertinelli's poppers are stuffed with a three-cheese mixture and wrapped in bacon. "I’m indulging in it," she writes. "You should, too."

Related: Valerie Bertinelli Rewears Her 'Fat Clothes' From Jenny Craig 'Before Photo': 'I’ve Never Felt More Beautiful'

<p>John Russo</p> Valerie Bertinelli's Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

John Russo

Valerie Bertinelli's Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Valerie Bertinelli's Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, freshly shredded (about ½ cup)
2 oz. mild cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (about ½ cup)
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh chives
1 tsp. grated lime zest plus
1 ½ tsp. fresh juice (from 1 lime)
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 medium jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
8 bacon slices, halved crosswise

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Stir together cream cheese, Gouda, cheddar, chives, lime zest, juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until combined.

3. Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly among the jalapeño halves, pressing to fill all the way to the top edge.

4. Wrap a slice of bacon around each stuffed jalapeño so the bacon ends are tucked under the jalapeños; place stuffed-side-up on prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake in preheated oven until bacon is crispy and cheese mixture is beginning to bubble, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 8
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

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