Chipotle Beef Taquitos

I found this recipe in my Our Best Bites cookbook.  I have been slowly working my way through the book, trying new things.  I have been slowed down with cooking lately due to baseball.  Yes baseball has meant my kids are eating a lot of cereal and quick grabs for dinner!  YIKES!!!!

Well I am slowly getting back to cooking and trying new things again and I have missed it too!

This recipe is spicy, so I would definitely lean toward the lesser of the chipotle peppers for the more timid ones in your family!  I love the spiciness of these peppers and even my family liked it, with a good dollop of sour cream to cool it down!  If you like chipotle peppers you will love this.  This is also a quicker meal because it uses leftover roast that you shred for the meat.

Try something new and enjoy these!  You can also make these ahead of time too!

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

(Our Best Bites Cookbook)

• 3 cups cooked, shredded beef roast (I used the Perfect Pot Roast meat)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (1/4 tsp is mild)
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, undrained
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• zest from 1 lime (which I left out due to no limes and using lime juice from a bottle)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (or from a bottle)
• 1 pkg queso fresco cheese, crumbled (I used a mixture of shredded cheddar and jack cheese)
• about 20 6-inch corn tortillas
• kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Slice or shred the beef from your cooked roast.  Make pieces about 1/2 - 1 inch long.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

Remove 1 chipotle pepper from your can.  Try not to take much sauce out with the pepper.  Slit the pepper open and scrape out the seeds.  I didn't do this and it will make it spicier if you don't!  Mince the pepper (I put it in my food processor) and take out how much you want; 1/4 - 1/2 tsp.

Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and lime zest and juice in a bowl.  Stir together and then add it to your shredded beef and stir to combine and coat all your meat.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in a damp paper towel.  Microwave for about 1 minute to soften.  I messed up on this the first time and didn't soften my tortillas enough and my taquitos broke apart.  So make sure they are soft and you may need to microwave for longer.  Check at 1 minute.

Grab one softened tortilla and place some cheese down the center and then top with 1-2 tbsp shredded meat.  Roll tightly and then place on a greased (sprayed with cooking spray) cookie sheet seam side down.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Soften more tortillas as needed and keep adding the meat and cheese until gone.

Spray tops of taquitos with the cooking spray and then sprinkle with the kosher salt.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, black beans, Spanish rice.  Options are endless and a great lunch or dinner throughout the week too!