Why it works: Cream cheese and cheddar cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 467 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Baked Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.
Stuff the peppers
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sharp cheese and mayonnaise.
Stuff jalapeno halves with the mixture.
Coat and bake
Whisk together eggs and milk in a small bowl.
Dip each stuffed jalapeno half into the egg mixture.
Roll each stuffed jalapeno half in cornflake crumbs to coat.
Arrange the coated jalapeno halves in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and lightly browned.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Cream Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 99 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Jalapeno | 1 pepper (14g) | 4 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cream cheese + cheddar cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together467 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Cheddar cheese + milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,964 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Cream cheese + milktop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,393 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Cheddar cheese + jalapenotop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together411 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Jalapeno + peppertop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,885 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cream cheese
- Creates a creamy, rich filling that stays soft when baked.
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Melts into the filling, adding savoury flavour and a bubbly, browned top.
- Eggs
- Bind the egg and milk wash that helps the crumb coating stick and set.
- Cornflake crumbs
- Form a crisp, golden coating that browns in the oven.
- Jalapeno peppers
- Provide the main vegetable body and mild heat that fills each half.
The step that matters
Coating the stuffed halves. The egg mixture must be applied evenly so the crumbs adhere. Gaps let the filling leak out and leave bare spots that brown unevenly.
Swap the jalapeno
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cream cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper, egg, milk):
- Dillfits better
- Nutmegfits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Jalapenothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cream cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper, egg, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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