Neato Taquito

As a foodie, I absolutely hate to waste anything edible.  In fact, I pretty much refuse to throw away anything until it is moldy and covered in fuzz.  If I think there's a chance something could still be eaten, into the fridge it goes.  This makes for a very crowded fridge and some interesting leftover lunches!

A couple days ago, we had steaks for dinner, and of course, there were leftovers.  I love a good hunk of beef, but leftover steak?  Not so much.  Needless to say, these leftovers sat in the fridge for a few days.  Imagine my delight when I came across this creative use for them!  You could really put any precooked meat in these, but the steak was great, and I was thrilled not to waste a single bite of it.  I served these as appetizers on Thanksgiving morning to keep the vultures out of my kitchen, but this recipe would also make a good main dish for a family of 3 or 4.

Steak and Cheese Taquitos
link to original recipe
Prep: 10 min  Cook: 10 min
Serves 10

2 cups cooked steak, cubed
1 1/2 cups sharp shredded cheddar
3/4 cup corn
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup  oil, divided

In a large mixing bowl combine the steak, cheese, corn, salsa and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add enough oil to a large skillet to generously cover the bottom and heat on medium till sizzling.

Meanwhile, spread a scant 1/4 cup of the steak mixture off center on each tortilla and spread out like a log leaving a 1/2 inch border near the edge. Roll up and set seam side down in pan. Cook tortillas in batches turning to brown each side. Add more oil as needed to the pan in between batches. Remove taquitos to a draining rack*.  If you want to save a few calories, you could bake these at 400 for about 15 minutes instead of frying them.


*According to Alton Brown, my favorite food geek, the best way to drain fried food is to line a baking sheet with paper towels or newspaper then lay a cooling rack upside down on top so that the grates are touching the paper towels.  This way, the oil is wicked away from the food and absorbed by the towels, but the food does not rest directly on top of the oil-soaked paper.


326 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!