Beef & Bean Chimichangas

Mmm...chimichangas! This was my first attempt at them, actually. But when DH took the time to email me the recipe and say "Let's have this" --- well, I was so impressed he found a recipe, I HAD to make it!

These were actually quite tasty. The first time I make a recipe, I generally follow it to a "T" -- and decide what I'll change next time.

I provide the original recipe here, as well as some things I think I'll change next time.

Beef and Bean Chimichangas
(Original recipe from allrecipes.com)

Serves 8


1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups taco sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, and add the onion, bell pepper, and corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the taco sauce, and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin, stirring until blended. - Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, and set aside.

- Open the can of beans, and spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortillas.
- Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and then top with as much shredded cheese as you like.
- Roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet.- Brush the tortillas with melted butter.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
- Serve with lettuce and tomato.

This is one of my chimichangas before I rolled it..

...and these are my chimi's, brushed with butter and ready to bake.

Voila! Finished chimichanga! With lettuce and tomato, as the original recipe said.

I also served a side of rice and black beans, per DH's request. This is just rice, black beans, salt, pepper, and a little cumin. Nothing fancy.

My Advice

First, you could totally make this recipe with ground turkey or chicken with no spice changes. The spices would be fine in any kind of ground meat.

Second, DH didn't like the corn in it...but I thought it was fantastic, so heck with it :-)

Third, I put these in a baking dish -- not on a baking sheet as the recipe requested...and there's totally a reason why you need a sheet. My chimi's didn't brown. So that was my mistake.

However -- here's what I'm thinking. If everything is mostly warm, why can't I bake for 15 minutes and pop it under the broiler for a minute to brown it?? So that's what I'll try next time.

Lastly -- buy sour cream. Even if it's the fat-free stuff. Trust me...you'll love the creamy smoothness with the spice!