Beef Chimi's

It's been a while since I have posted a recipe. As I was fixing supper tonight, I decided that these were recipes worth sharing! I found the recipe for the beef chimichangas many years ago and it is one of our favorite dishes!! Initially it called for frying the chimi's in oil. However, if you read my fitness post, you'll recall our inferior genetics. While I described my history, I don't think I mentioned that J's dad had a heart attack and multiple bypasses at the age of 38--yes 38! So we try not to fry very often at all! So, I baked them instead and they turned out really well--not like fried, but good! Several years after that, he and I took a vacation to Santa Fe and Albuquerque NM, where we feasted daily on wonderful New Mexian cuisine. The last night we were there, I could't even sleep because I was so STUFFED from overeating an entire HUGE grilled chimi, and the sopapaillas that they serve in baskets there just like they serve chips around here. After that, we have been fixing them on the grill regularly and love them that way. It was much too cold though to grill them tonight, so we baked them in the oven and crisped them under the broiler at the very end for a couple minutes. Hope you enjoy!

Beans and Rice
1 onion chopped
2 or more cloves of garlic, chopped
Olive Oil
1 can black beans
1 can red beans
1 can diced tomatoes
Ground black pepper
1 cup cooked rice
Sauté onions, garlic and pepper in olive oil. Rinse and drain beans. Add to skillet. Drain most of liquid from tomatoes, add to pan. Add fresh cilantro if desired. Simmer for 15 minutes. Mix in the rice and serve.

This recipe was one my sister in law put in our family cookbook, and this was the first time we had tried it. J and I loved it! I think the leftovers would be good wrapped in tortillas the next day, you could even add a can of cooked chicken or leftover meat to it. It also tasted mighty fine dipped out with a chip! I'm a chronic recipe tweaker and substituter. I didn't have red beans, so I used ranch style beans with jalepeno in them. We did add the fresh cilantro, just because I have some in the greenhouse--I think it definitely put it over the top! Thanks Steph!


Beef Chimichangas
1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 can refried beans
3 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
12 flour tortillas
1 can green chilies, diced
jalapeno diced to taste
1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion, drain. Stir in beans, ½ cup tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic, and cumin, and a handful of cheese. Butter one side of tortillas, spoon 1/3 cup beef mixture off center on the unbuttered side. Fold edge nearest filling up and over to cover. Fold in both sides and roll up. Fasten with toothpicks. Bake desired number of chimis in oven at 350 for 25-30 minutes. May freeze extras, thaw before baking. For sauce, combine chilies, peppers, and remaining tomato sauce, heat through. Serve with chimi’s. We also like to grill them till heated through

Jeremy loves the sauce a lot and this recipe makes a lot. Tonight I just used a 15 oz can of sauce and put the green chilies in what was left after adding to the meat mixture. It freezes well too, if you have leftover.

Nothing like a little fiery food to warm the soul after a LOOOOOOOOOONG and COOOOLD winter! Adios!