Busy Mama’s Burritos

You can eat ‘em hot,

You can eat ‘em cold,

Wrapped in a tortilla

Or just dumped in a bowl.

Cook ‘em in 20 minutes? Why yes you can!

And – the best part – dirty just one pan.

Yes, it is true!  This versatile burrito filling is relatively healthy, super easy to make and everyone in your family can wrap it and top it however they like.  It stores in the fridge for a couple days and heats up quickly and easily.  For nights when you don’t want to cook, throw some leftover filling onto tortilla chips with cheese and jalapenos and pop it in the toaster for a few minutes.

Yes, nachos can be a meal – one of my favorites, in fact, for the rare evenings I am home by myself for dinner.  On several occasions, I have paired nachos with a nice glass of wine and some reality TV.  Add in some cozy pajama pants and it is a glorious evening indeed.  Plus, tomatoes and jalapenos and avocados are vegetables so you do actually cover all the food groups.

Without further delay, here’s the details on making Busy Mama’s Burritos:

1 lb ground beef (93/7)

4 (15 0z) cans reduced sodium black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup salsa (I use Publix organic salsa in medium)

28 oz can grilled crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen organic)

1 T chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Brown beef until only a few pieces still look pink; drain.

While beef is browning, open all cans and measure spices

Add garlic powder, cumin, coriander, chili powder to meat; stir for two minutes to evenly coat all meat in spices

Add tomatoes, salsa and beans; stir to combine

Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes at a low simmer.

Put on the table with whatever accessories your family prefers – taco shells, soft tortillas, bowls and of course the delicious toppings like cheese, sour cream, avocado, jalapeno or maybe even a squeeze of fresh lime.

If you’re putting the filling in a tortilla, use a slotted spoon to drain off the liquid so your tortilla doesn’t get mushy and make a big mess when it comes apart.  Now, if you have a dog that looks forward to such things, feel free to disregard that “drain the liquid” advice.

Enjoy!