Chimichanga or Chiminichanga, however you like to pronounce it.

I get in a rut with my meals sometimes.  I don't really love to cook either and I especially hate to cook in the summer, but this recipe is so great for so many reasons, and it is a new recipe that my family has fallen in love with and I expect to see it as a regular request.


The recipe comes from my friend Lisa S., (it is actually her mom's recipe.)  We at these for dinner at girl's camp on Bishop's night and they were a hit.  It is a fabulous recipe for any size of family because once you  make the meat mixture, you can freeze the meat into smaller portions for later.  We had about 45 people to feed that night so I doubled the recipe and cooked all the meat at home in my large roaster oven (on the back porch so I wouldn't heat up the house).  When it cooled, I put it into two large gallon freezer bags and froze it.  By the time we were ready to cook it at camp, it was thawed in the ice chest and ready to heat up.  As I fried them, I placed them into a tin foil lined empty ice chest to keep hot before serving.

Me frying up dinner at camp.

Beef Chimichangas


5 pounds beef chuck roast
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 onions, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 (7 ounce) cans Ortega green chili salsa
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
juices from beef roasts

Preheat oven to 200 deg.  Place roast in large roasting pan.  Do not add salt or water.  Cover with a tight lid and roast about 12 hours, until well done.  Or cook roast with 1 cup water in pressure cooker 35 to 40 minutes.  Drain meat, reserving juices.  Cool meat, then remove bones.  Shred meat; set aside.  Melt shortening in a large skillet.  Add onions and green chilies.  Saute 1 minute.  Add salsa, garlic powder, flour, salt, and cumin.  Cook 1 minute over medium-low heat.  Stir in reserved meat juices and shredded meat.  Cook 5 minutes until thick.  Cool.  This meat mixture may be frozen until ready to be used in chimichangas.

18 large flour tortillas
9 cups meat mixture, thawed
Vegetable oil for frying
Shredded lettuce
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Tomatoes
Salsa
Shredded cheddar cheese
Olives (optional)

Warm tortillas in microwave oven.  Heat meat mixture in a saucepan.  Heat 1/2" deep oil to 400 deg in a large skillet.  Spread about 1/2 cup meat mixture over the lower third of each tortilla.  Fold the bottom edges of each tortilla up over filling.  Fold both sides toward the center an roll into a cylinder.  Secure rolled tortillas with a toothpick.  Fry 2 chimichangas at a time in hot oil about 2 minutes until golden and crisp.  Drain on paper towels.  Remove toothpicks.  Serve hot with lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, and cheddar cheese.

Makes 18 chimichangas.