Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos

Tags

beef, cheese, chipotle, lime, Mexican, tortilla

This may be blasphemous to say, but I’m not a big fan of Mexican food. I love Chipotle burritos, which I realize are very Americanized and are not really Mexican burritos at all. Other than that, if it’s Mexican but it’s not fried, I probably won’t like it. I used to love tamales and enchiladas, but something in my taste buds changed a while ago, so now I really only like taquitos, flautas, tacos, and nachos.

These taquitos are baked, so they’re healthier than their fried counterparts but still have the tasty crunch necessary for taquitos. I’ve made these multiple times over the last couple of months, and doubled it last time so I could save them in the freezer. They’re a perfect quick lunch or dinner, or even a snack! And if you love taquitos, make sure to try these baked creamy chicken taquitos. It never hurts to have variety in your freezer!Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos
Note: Leftover beef can be used from pot roast or other slow cooked beef, as long as the seasoning isn’t overly strong. Also, chipotle chili powder can be used in place of the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, just add a little to start and increase to taste.

1½ to 2 pounds beef chuck pot roast
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
½ teaspoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
3 teaspoons adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
zest from one lime
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12 ounces cheese (Queso Fresco or sharp cheddar cheese), crumbled
20 to 25 6-inch white corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt

Place beef roast and 1 cup water in a 5-quart slow cooker, fat side down. Sprinkle the packet of taco seasoning on top of the roast. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. When meat is cooked and tender, remove the roast and use 2 forks to shred the meat; shredded beef should total about 3 cups. Slice any larger pieces of roast across the grain so the beef is shredded into ½ to 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

To prepare chipotle peppers, slit the pepper open. Remove the seeds either by scraping carefully with a knife or running the open pepper under a slow stream of water until the seeds have been rinsed away.

In a small bowl, combine chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, chili powder, lime zest, and lime juice; whisk well.  Pour over the beef and gently toss to coat.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1 tablespoon cheese in a line across the center of the tortilla.  Top with 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded beef mixture.  Tightly roll and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Continue to roll until all of the tortillas are filled, reheating more tortillas as needed.

Lightly spray the top of each taquito with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.  Serve warm with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

To freeze: Prepare taquitos through spraying with cooking spray and sprinkling with salt. Lay taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet, lightly spaced out and place in freezer. Once frozen, store in freezer bags. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

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Broiled Shrimp with Tomatoes and Brie

Tags

basil, cheese, dip, garlic, seafood, shrimp

You have to love when you find a recipe that you know will be good. Every single ingredient is delicious, and together they sound perfectly divine. When I came across this recipe, I knew it was love. After I was done drooling, I bookmarked it and thankfully I managed to not forget I had saved it, even a couple weeks later. So when I finally tried it, oh yum! Even my husband sounded enthusiastic about how good it was, and he’s normally one of those people who says “good” all doubtful sounding so it’s hard to tell if he’s actually pleased with the food or not.This makes a great light dinner, or a tasty appetizer, and is so easy to make! Everything pretty much goes under the broiler for a little bit and it’s all done. The end result is delicious shrimp with herbs, tomatoes and melted cheese, along with a buttery wine broth perfect for dipping bread.Broiled Shrimp with Tomatoes and Brie

1 pound raw, peeled, deveined shrimp
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup dry white wine
4 to 5-ounces soft brie cheese, cut into chunks with rind removed
¼ cup basil, some chopped and some left whole, divided
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Crusty bread for serving

Preheat broiler of your oven

Spray a broiler-safe baking dish with non-stick spray.  Make sure shrimp are completely dry and season liberally with salt and pepper then add to the dish, laying them flat and in a single layer. Scatter tomatoes, butter chunks, garlic and some parsley and basil (reserving some for garnish); add wine. Place dish directly under the broiler and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until shrimp appear to be pink in color. Remove dish from oven and sprinkle cheese chunks over top. Place back in the oven and broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool, then sprinkle additional basil and fresh parsley on top. Serve while still warm with crusty bread for dipping.

Source: Slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Tags

chicken, cilantro, cream cheese, lime, Mexican

This past week, I went on a huge cooking spree. I finally came up with a sort of game plan to try a bunch of recipes that I’ve been eying on different blogs. Most of them were entrees, which is a good thing because I noticed that I have a lot of desserts bookmarked, and not so many main dishes or non-sweet treats. Between a trip to save money and buy in bulk from Costco and a few trips to a couple different grocery stores, my frig and freezer are packed. I just had to make a milkshake to use up the ice cream in the freezer to make more room. Gee darn. 🙂

One of the dishes I was most excited to try were these chicken taquitos. Again, I’m behind the trend since bloggers have been posting about these bad boys for months now. But I am so glad I got around to trying them. They were phenomenal. And it’s so fun to make them! Taquitos are something I never thought to make. I buy them frozen when I feel like splurging on some really unhealthy food, and never thought twice about it.

Not only are these baked, which makes them way more healthy than their fried counterparts, but you get the hands on experience of really working with your food. The filling can be made in advance and left in the frig. I made my filling a few days ago on one of my days off, and just now rolled them tonight. Which, by the way, is also really easy. You can even freeze them so you always have some homemade taquitos on hand. So if this is the first time you’re seeing this recipe or you’ve seen it before and just haven’t tried it yet, please try these taquitos. You will love them!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (or pepper jack, cheddar, Monterey, ect.)
12-16 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
Kosher salt
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, granulated garlic, cilantro, and green onions. Add chicken and cheese, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place the tortillas between damp paper towels and microwave for about 20-30 seconds or until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Place 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling, then place seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat the process until all the filling is used up, spacing the taquitos evenly on the baking sheet so they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. If baking frozen taquitos, add a few extra minutes in the oven. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.

Source: Our Best Bites

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

Tags

breadcrumbs, Parmesan, zucchini

There are many times that I wish I lived in a house, instead of in an apartment. One of those main reasons is a garden. I’m super envious of all the people who end up with a surplus of tomatoes and zucchini, or a backyard full of plump, juicy fruit hanging from their trees. A girl can dream, but in the meantime, I’m stuck relying on the supermarket.

If you are fortunate enough to have extra zucchini, and your freezer is full of zucchini bread, try some zucchini sticks. They’re versatile enough to be an appetizer or a side dish, instead of french fries. The crunchy crust is a great contrast to the soft zucchini inside, and they’re great for sneaking zucchini into unknowing children or husbands!Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound zucchini, about 2 zucchinis

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Cut off the ends of the zucchini, then cut in half crosswise and cut in half lengthwise. Cut the zucchini quarters into long strips, cutting lengthwise.

Place flour into a large zip lock bag. In a shallow dish, whisk 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon water. In a second shallow bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs, plain breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Toss the zucchini strips with the flour until well coated. Working in batches of 3 or 4 strips, remove the excess flour, dip the strips into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Toss until well coated, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the sticks to help them adhere. Place breaded zucchini sticks on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the zucchini sticks with cooking spray, to help them brown.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately with Ranch dressing or marinara sauce for dipping.

Source: A Dash of Sugar and Spice original