Beef and Bean Chimichangas

I made this with Dustin in mind. I'm sure I've mentioned before that previous to my love affair with cooking, my husband lived on frozen burritos and microwave pizzas. Yes, I'm slightly embarrassed. Those were our undergrad college days. (When anything goes- right?!) We are now back in school (actually it never really ended) working on our second round of 4 year degrees and our eating habits have much improved.

Even though he appreciates the home cooked meals, sometimes Dustin gets a craving for the junk he lived on. My compromise is making him meals that remind him of his snack-food favorites. Beef and bean chimichangas (they come in oversized bags at Costco) were a staple in our freezer and now I've recreated them (with a healthier twist, of course)! For nostalgia's sake I even threw a few in the freezer that he could microwave whenever he gets the urge. Funny thing is, these turned out so good that I'm the one who has been sneaking them for lunch!

This is easy to prepare, family-friendly (kids in mind), and can be refrigerated/frozen/reheated at any point. Almost as convenient as the processed and packaged kind. But so much better (tasting and for you)!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. lean ground beef
extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves (or 1 tsp. garlic powder), minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups corn
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups taco sauce or salsa (I used chunky salsa)
sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (as much as you want)
12-16 large whole wheat tortillas
2 cans refried beans (I used refried black beans with jalapenos)
butter, for brushing

lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, diced
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain, remove beef, and set aside. Add about 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to the pan along with the onions and green pepper. Saute until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook for several more minutes. Add the corn and return the ground beef to the pan. Stir in the salsa/taco sauce and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTE: This filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.

3. To assemble the chimichangas, heat the tortillas in the microwave until soft and pliable. Spread a layer of refried beans over the center of each tortillas. Top with several spoonfuls of the beef filling and a generous portion of Cheddar cheese. Roll up the tortillas tightly and secure with a toothpick (optional). Place on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been brushed with butter or lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Brush the outside of the chimichangas with melted butter. Sprinkle extra cheddar cheese on top (optional).

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes (longer if your filling was cold) until crispy and brown on outside. Remove from the oven and serve topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

NOTE: These can be frozen before or after being cooked and baked later or reheated in the microwave!

Makes 12-16 chimichangas (depending on the size of your tortillas).

(Adapted from All Recipes)