Haven't put up any new recipes in a while.... I had a family picnic this weekend and was asked to bring an app. With all the garden tomatoes I had on hand I decided something mexican with fresh salsa would suit, so I made these mini chimichangas, and man were they ever a hit. They're really versatile to use as an app or a main dish, and of course you can substitute the meat with veggies or tofu or black beans or whatever. I'm the type of person who haphazardly goes through their cabinet and adds ingredients until I'm happy with the flavor, so this is just a base, obviously you can add or subtract to your liking.

These took me about 2 hours to prep using an entire pack of won ton wrappers, but if you're not using this for a picnic/party fare, just use egg roll wrappers or tortillas for larger serving sizes. I used the leftover filling with totrillas and fried them up for dinner with a side of black beans and it was delicious.





Bite Size Chimichangas with Garden Salsa

1 pound ground beef (or substitute)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pack taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained
1 package won ton wrappers (or egg roll, or tortilla)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Oil for frying


Saute the onions and beef in a skillet until meat is almost done. Add garlic and continue to cook until meat is completely brown. Drain some of the excess fat out of the pan. Add water and taco seasoning and simmer about 10 minutes. You don't want a real watery mix, so cook it until most of the juices evaporate, but it's still moist. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl combine shredded cheese, sour cream, and chilies. Once the meat mixture has cooled completely, add it to the bowl and mix well. This is a good point to taste the filling and see what it's lacking or needs more of.

Lay out the won ton wrappers on your work surface in diamond orientation (1 point of the square facing you and 1 away from you). Place a small dollop of filling in the center of each wrapper. Smear a little of the egg wash on the outside edges of the won ton wrappers (I think it's quicker to use your finger than a brush). Fold 1 side corner into the center and then overlap the other side a little on top of it. Then fold up the bottom over the center, followed by the top to seal. Basically, you're making a little neat envelope. You can fold them another way if you like, just make sure all your edges are sealed up completely so no filling can get out. Lay out all your finished chimichangas in a single layer to prepare for frying. If you stack them without wax paper in between they'll stick to each other. Heat your oil in a pan on medium. If your oil is too hot and your chimi's are too full, they may pop open and you'll have oil fizzling everywhere as the filling seeps out. Fry each side (seam side first) until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Serve with sour cream and salsa.


SALSA:

(prep a day ahead of time so flavors can blend)

4 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced... more or less to taste
1 lime, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and ground black pepper to taste
gp/op to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Adjust flavor to suit your liking. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.

damn! would eat.

Eh.

i just had burger king...