Yummy Homemade Taquitos

Taquitos. Yummmmm. No, not the tiny store bought cardboard numbers that have more carbs than taste! I’m talking about the ones that I make from scratch (well, ok, I didn’t make the corn tortillas from scratch, but give me a break – I have a life!) in my kitchen with a child helper. They are awesome and I’m going to share them with you! You will need:

2 lbs. ground beef

1 Tbsp. dried minced onion (or a small onion finely diced if you have the time)

2 cups water

Enough taco seasoning for two lbs. of meat

6 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

18 corn tortillas

Cooking spray

1/2 to 3/4 cup canola oil

Break up your two lbs. of ground beef into a pot with the water and dried onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is cooked through. Turn off the heat and drain the water (This has the added benefit of draining off a lot of that nasty fat!) Add the taco seasoning and let the flavors meld for about 15 minutes. While the beef and seasoning is melding, spray a 9″ x 13″ pan with your favorite cooking spray.

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Take each tortilla, one at a time and fill with meat mixture (not too full, as you want them to roll!) On top of the meat put in a good sprinkle of cheese. Roll the taquito and place it at the end of your greased 9″ x 13″ pan, using your assistant’s ultra clean hands to hold it in place. Continue with the remainder of the tortillas. We got 12 across the long way of the pan and then 6 in 2 rows the opposite way across the bottom.

Drizzle the canola oil over the top to crisp up the tortillas. Sprinkle any extra meat and the rest of the cheese on the top of the taquitos. Bake for 30 minutes. Cheese should be melty and golden brown.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream. Yummmmmmm! Enjoy!