The chimichanga is one of the greatest Tex-Mex foods that has come into existence. As a child dining out with parents at Mexican restaurants, I would always order the chimichanga. When I moved to Mexico, I was a little shocked that chimichangas weren't really a 'real' food down here (although a quick Google search about the history of chimichangas says that they exist in the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa (Sinaloa is the state in which I live)). I quickly learned that all the "authentic" Mexican restaurants that I had visited in the USA were not good representations of Mexican food. Don't even get me started on Taco Bell. After a few years living down here, you start to miss the Tex-Mex foods. Crazy, I know, but it's true. I researched some chimichanga recipes and ended up combining a few to create this recipe.
Shea and I make about 9 or 10 chimichangas each time. We freeze the ones we don't need that night (assemble each one, just don't bake). They taste so good and are such a quick thing to pop into the oven on busy days. They're even better than the frozen entrees you find in grocery stores! Try it next time you want some Tex-Mex! Oh, Shea adds some jalapenos to the ones he makes.
Chimichangas (yield: 8-10)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 small can corn, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 - 2 cups salsa (I use part enchilada green salsa and part red salsa)
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cans refried beans
shredded cheese
8-10 large flour tortillas
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (I usually light the oven when I am done browning the beef.)
2. In a large skillet brown ground beef. Drain grease.
3. Add onions and corn and cook until onions are tender.
4. Stir in salsas, chile powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Heat through.
5. Assemble the chimichangas. Place a layer of refried beans on tortilla, Add small portion of beef mixture in the center. Top with shredded cheese. Fold sides inward to create a rectangle/square thing that resembles the chimichangas you have seen before. =) At first, I used extra refried beans to act as a glue to hold it together, but have changed to using toothpicks. Either method works fine.
6. Place chimichangas on baking sheet, seam side down.
7. Bake 30 minutes, turning half way.
Bon appetit!
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