Chef's Note: I have seen many recipes that call for wrapping the bacon around the jalapeno and then baking. These are delish of course, but I always seem to get that one jalapeno popper that has soggy bacon on the bottom. Using individual slices, placed on top, guarantees that every popper will have a perfectly crispy piece of bacon whose juices have soaked into that glorious cream cheese mixture.

Also, I like to wear a surgical glove on my left hand to strip out the strings and seeds. And, I like to cut the bacon into small pieces and nuke them for a couple minutes or more before putting on top of the cheese/peppers.

Also, I have substituted grated cheddar cheese successfully for the parmesan cheese.