30 July 2007

Bonus Recipe du Jour

Tonight's dinner!

Burp-Inspired Bacon and Bean Enchilada-Style Burritos

Okay, so the bacon in Australia is a lot more ham-like ("middle rasher bacon" or "back bacon" - think Canadian bacon, but not quite like the stuff you get in the grocery stores here...) than our bacon, but American streaky bacon gives these a nice smoky flavor. As you can see, it's a cheap and easy weeknight meal from the pantry.

1/2 lb. bacon (thick-sliced is best)
2 cans beans (I use one can black beans and one can pinto beans - you use what you like)
1 can/jar/recipe enchilada sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 small brick sharp cheddar cheese (the sharper, the better, I always say)
6-8 burrito-size flour tortillas

Chop up bacon into thin slices. Add to a large saute pan over medium heat, and render until bacon is browned and slightly crunchy. Drain off fat.

While the bacon is browning, drain and rinse beans. I know, I know, there's fiber and other nutrients going down the sink, but this recipe just doesn't need all that goop. Pour a little bit of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan - just enough to coat it. Shred your cheese.

Add beans to bacon in pan. Add a small amount of tomato sauce to the bean/bacon mixture - just enough to make it slightly saucy - should be about half a can or so. Add the rest of the can of tomato sauce to the remaining enchilada sauce or use it in another recipe. Remove from heat.

And don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices. Here's some room for creativity (read: using whatever you have in your spice rack). Just start sprinkling whatever you have. I usually add chili powder, cumin, coriander, adobo seasoning, dried onion, and garlic powder. You can use whatever you like. I don't measure - just use your judgment. 0.5 - 2 teaspoons of everything is reasonable, if you're fanatical about measuring. But it's not baking - you don't have to be.

Add two-thirds of the cheese to the bean-bacon mixture. Stir until it's all melty and gooey.

Scoop out about a half-cup of bean mixture into the center of each tortilla. Roll up, burrito-style, and place in 9x13 pan, lining them up next to each other. Make sure you pour a little enchilada sauce between each tortilla to keep them from sticking together. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the burritos (it may not cover them completely - that's the way we like it - use more sauce if you're more saucy). Sprinkle remaining cheese over the whole pan. Bake at 350 degF until heated through and cheese has melted.

Serve with tortilla chips, salad/slaw, and frozen passion fruit margaritas.

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