Chimichangas

Bee and I LOVE Mexican food. I have always been a big fan but Bee didn't really become a fan until she met me. We discovered it was because every time she ever went to a Mexican restaurant she did not know how (what) to order so she always got something she didn't want or like. She liked Moes, a popular burrito place, but that was about it. Now we are one the same page and love all sorts of Mexican dishes. Too bad we are in Korea where there is not much in the way of mexican to be found.

We usually buy flour tortillas to have in our cupboard for breakfast burritos. Recently however we discovered a recipe for chimichangas on the back of the package. It did not look very hard and I love chimichangas so we decided to get the few ingredients we were missing and make a batch. They turned out delicious! They are not exactly a true chimichanga because it is baked in the oven as opposed to having a fried shell but I think they taste just fine. The recipe has you brush it with oil before placing it in the oven which gives it a crisp flaky outside similar to being fried. I like it! This past week Bee was itching to make them again so we baked them this evening for dinner and it looked so good I just had to take a picture and share it with you.

If you wish to try your hand at them I included the recipe below.

Ingredients: · 2tbsp olive oil · 1/2c chopped onion · 2 cloves garlic, minced · 1/3c chili powder · 16oz salsa · 4tbsp water · 1/2tsp ground cumin · 1/2tsp cinnamon · 2 cans (12.5oz) chunk breast of chicken (we pre-cook frozen chicken breast) · 6 burrito shells, warmed · 1c refried beans

Directions: In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stirr in chili powder, salsa, water, cumin and cinnamon. Pour mixture into blender or food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Process until smooth. Pour back into saucepan; stir in chicken. Add salt to taste. Heat oven to 425°F. grease rimmed 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, keep remaining tortillas wrapped, spoon a heaping tablespoon of beans down center of each tortilla. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Fold up bottom, top and sides of tortilla; secure with wooden picks, if necessary. Place chimichangas in greased baking pan, seam-side-down. brush all sides with oil. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning every 5 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

We have found the chili powder to be a bit much for our liking so we only use a 1/4 cup. We also sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese as soon as it comes out of the oven.