Turkey Pepper Jack Bombs

Ahhh, the 4th of July. A time for food, friends, and fireworks. Out here in the wild west, Molalla, OR, we celebrate Independence Day in a big way. We have a big parade that shuts down the city, we have rodeos for days, the church fries up a ton of chicken, and we top it all off with a huge firework show. Even though I'm not a fan of the rodeo, I partake in certain 4th of July festivities. My fellow food blogger, Warren, and I have a tradition of watching the parade and grilling brats in my backyard. Food is an important part of any 'murican celebration.

For my 4th of July-themed post this year, I decided to cook up something that embodies the explosive fun of Independence Day. My Turkey Pepper Jack Bombs are filled with a melty pepper jack cheese and surrounded by a crispy dorito shell. They have a little bit of spice, a little bit of sweet, and a ton of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 lbs ground turkey
1 1/2 cups crushed Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos chips
1 egg
1 tbsp parmesan
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 small cubes of pepper jack cheese
1 tbsp cream cheese


Make it!

1. Combine turkey, crushed doritos, egg, garlic powder, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix with hands until blended. Do not overwork the mixture.

2. Form about 3 tbsp of turkey mixture into half balls, press a piece of pepper jack cheese inside, spread a tiny bit of cream cheese, and close the meat around the cheese to make a ball. See picture below.

3. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat for about 2 minutes.

4. Place the meatballs into the hot oil and cook on each side for about 2 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350.

5. Place the meatballs in the oven (or on a grill with a lid) and bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

6. Remove the balls from the oven, allow them to cool, and drizzle with BBQ sauce.