Ch, Ch, Chili Cream Cheese Chimichanga's!

Here in The Pacific Northwest, Fall has hit!  One of the first things I do every Fall is make a ginormous pot of chili (scroll down a few posts to find a simple chili recipe)!  First night chili is good, second night even better, as the chili thickens up and the spices have totally developed. Basically with soups, stews and chili's, the more you cook them, the more flavorful they get!

I never really get tired of chili but I like variety and after one or two nights, I like to change things up.  So I will usually take what chili I have left and put it in the freezer for another time or try to come up with a creative way to "recycle" it into something NEW later on in the week.

OK, I know the word "recycle" might have thrown a few of you, but think about it.  You are taking something you already have and rather then tossing it you are making it into something new.  I actually love the term "recycle" when it comes to food, as it means I am cutting out any waste, which stretches my grocery budget, gotta love that!  It also forces me to be creative, which I LOVE as that usually results in a new recipe. 

One of the ways I recycle a wee bit of chili, is by making it into Chili Cream Cheese Chimichanga's.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Mexican food and chimichanga's are one of my favorite things. You can make just about anything into a chimichanga but before I get ahead of myself and start listing some of them, let me outline how I make Chili Cream Cheese Chimi's.

The Tortilla:  Flour tortilla's can be found in your grocer's Hispanic food aisle or on the end cap of an aisle.  You can use either burrito size or regular size tortillas, it just depends on how big you want your chimi's, I generally use the burrito size.  If you use regular size tortillas, you will want to steam them a wee bit so they are more pliable and do not tear as you fold your chimi's.

*Healthy Option: Use Whole Wheat Tortilla's.

The Chili Filling: Leftover chili or leftover chili and rice, either one works.  Adding rice will help stretch your chili or thicken it, if needed.  I generally steam long-grain rice in broth made with "Knorr" brand, tomato and chicken bouillon or home-made chicken broth.  I mix two parts chili to one part rice, but again, you can do whatever works for you.  You are going to use a HEAPING cupful of filling for burrito size tortillas or 1/2 to 3/4 C. for smaller tortillas.  You are also going to want to work with cold chili, it is much easier to manage during assembly.  :)

*Healthy Option: Use Brown Rice and Turkey or Chicken Chili.

The Cream Cheese: Pretty self explanatory, add as much or as little as you want.  When I use burrito size tortillas, I use 4 OZ. per chimi.  The cream cheese is going to add a pop of flavor, a creamy somewhat cooling effect, much like what you find in a cream cheese jalapeno popper.  Sometimes I will dice up some pickled jalapenos into the cream cheese for a little extra kick!

*Healthy Option: Use Low fat Cream Cheese.

Garnish:  The chili already has a lot of flavor so I keep my garnish simple, things I would put in a bowl of chili.  Fresh pico de gallo and sliced avocado is how we roll.  You could also add sour cream but we find that the cream cheese adds that creamy element and sour cream is not needed.

*Using the healthy options I have listed will still result in a real tasty chimichanga, that is one of the great things about the flavor profiles that chili has, anyway you twist it, it is still GOOD!

Now! Let's assemble and cook, so you can enjoy!

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degree's.
2. Prepare baking sheet by drizzling with  4 TB. of vegetable oil, set aside.

3. Spread cream cheese in center of tortilla.

4. Add desired amount of chili filling .

5. Fold side of tortilla over filling, tuck it up tight like your swaddling a babe.

6. Fold bottom half of tortilla up tight over side folds and then give a final roll.

7. Place on cooking sheet and carefully roll them around to coat them in vegetable oil. 

They will look like this!

*In restaurants they deep fat fry them. You can also do that, but I prefer the baking method as you can do more at once and it is a healthier option*.

8. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven and then flip and cook for an additional 15. 

9. DONE~TA-DA! Chili Cream Cheese Chimichanga's and YOU made'm!

 Now, about the other types of  chimi's I mentioned earlier.  I love to use leftover pot roast in chimi's, spiced with salsa it is a really great way to "recycle". You can also slow cook a cheap cut of beef in salsa or canned tomatoes and spices for your filling.  Chicken chimi's are my FAVORITE and poaching a whole chicken or less expensive legs and thighs in garlic, chile powder, salt and pepper is a killer choice for stretching your grocery budget.  Mix in grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese to your beef or chicken.  This mixture is going to take the place of the chili in this recipe.  In lieu of cream cheese, use refried or whole beans.  Serve with a salad and rice.  GREAT meal, super easy, inexpensive and cooked in the oven instead of deep fat fried, pretty darn healthy!

Please feel free to ask me any questions about this recipe or other "recycle" ideas listed below.  For sure let me know what you think when you try any of my recipes.  I love feed-back!

Other ways to "recycle" chili:

• Chili Cheese Nachos
• Taco Salad
• Chili Omelet
• Hot Dog Bar Addition
• Chili Pot Pie (In 8x8 baking pan fill half way with chili.  Pour prepared corn bread mix over chili and bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes). *I use one box of jiffy brand mix*
• Chili Stuffed Peppers (Use chili/rice combo from recipe above. Layer mixture with cream cheese in peppers and top grated cheddar cheese.  Pop in oven at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes)

Please note that all recipes are original to Cobwebs To Cookies.  I love when my recipes are passed along and shared; but ask that you please respect the time and energy I put into developing them, by sharing this blog as your source if you do.  Thank YOU!