Cheesy Jalapeno Stuffed Pork
Too often I sit down to write our weekly menu plan and find myself writing the same meals over and over. I am always trying to get more protein in our diet, but it seems like I always go back to our old standbys. It’s even more of a challenge now that I just recently found out one of my kiddos has a food sensitivity to beef.
Luckily, she LOVES pork, so I’m excited to experiment with new recipes and old favorites, like my Buffalo Mozzarella Pork Chops. (Her exact words after we finished the allergy test were- “I can still eat bacon, right!?) Haha.
In fact, bacon would be a delicious addition to this Cheesy Jalapeño Stuffed Pork. I’ve been stuffing jalapeños into everything lately because it was the only plant that ended up producing from our garden. We can’t eat them fast enough, even with giving them away every chance we get. I guess if I had to pick, I’d rather be up to my eyeballs in jalapeños than squash or okra haha.
This recipe is full of flavor from the already marinated pork and the delicious cheesy, spicy filling. It was a definite winner at our dinner table! We served it over rice, but it would also be yummy with scalloped potatoes and veggies.
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lb pork tenderloin
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 tsp chile powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 2-3 jalapenos seeded, deseeded, and diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and spices; mix well.
- Add shredded cheese and diced jalapenos; stir until combined.
- Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of the pork tenderloin to within 1/2 in of the bottom (careful not to cut all the way through).
- Smear jalapeno cheese mixture inside pork.
- Roll the pork back together. Lay seam side down on prepared baking sheet and tie closed with kitchen twine.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes, until a thermometer registers 140 degrees.
- Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minutes before cutting into it.
- Slice and serve.
Yum!