Make Ahead Baked Chimichangas

Here is another simple meal for your recipe box: Baked Chimichangas. One of the most beautiful things about this dinner (besides not being fried) is that when you whip up a batch of these chimis, you are also planning ahead for those nights when you just don't want to cook - 'cause it makes lots.


I happened to have Food Network on just as I was beginning to work on the chimichangas and CMH got the cooking bug. He got out his apron and asked me what I wanted him to help with. Well he couldn't be the only helper of course, AAH pulled a stool over to lend a hand too. It occurred to me that this is a perfect meal to involve the kids in making. It's really just a dump, dump, stir, fold kind of process. There is a little cutting, so I did that part, but really CMH and AAH did everything else. Thanks boys!

Here's the recipe:

Baked Chimichangas

1 lb. cooked and shredded beef or chicken
1 1/2 C salsa (your favorite)
1 can refried beans
4 oz. diced green chiles
1 envelope taco seasoning
16 (8 inch) flour tortillas
16 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, cut into 16 sticks

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the tortillas and cheese. Take a tortilla and scoop a rounded 1/4 cup of meat mixture in the center of the tortilla. Top with one stick of cheese. Fold the sides in and roll up burrito style. Repeat with all tortillas and cheese. Wrap each chimi in foil and put in a Zip Loc Freezer bag. Store in the freezer until you need 'em!







To bake, place frozen chimis, still wrapped in foil, on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until desired crispness - 10 or more minutes. I like mine browned and crunchy. You can use the broiler to speed this up a bit, but watch closely!

Serve topped with lots of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa. Guacamole if you have it. A side of Spanish rice is great too.

Notes: This time I used 2 cans of roast beef from Costco. It worked perfectly. I have also done this with ground beef, but over all I prefer the shredded meat. Also, if you are baking these the day you prepare them (un-frozen), just bake them for about 30 minutes wrapped instead of 50. Missionaries like these alot.


We had some yummy peach lemonade with our chimis too. Here's the recipe:

Peach Lemonade

1 tub Crystal Light Lemonade mix
2 cans peach nectar (soda pop sized)
water

Put the Crystal Light drink mix in a pitcher. Pour in the peach nectar and fill the rest of the way (to 2 quarts) with water. Stir well. Serve with Ice.