Zesty Mexican Blintzes

And now to take your minds off the last post, something completely different. I could have sworn that I adapted this recipe from instructions on the back of a can of Rotel tomatoes, years ago. But I can't find it on their site, and it seems just as likely that I found it on a package of taco seasoning. As I normally hate chilies and have never once made tacos, I don't know why I would have purchased either of those products, but there you have it. After vigorous googling, I found the original recipe (or possibly an approximation thereof) here, but I think that my version is much more delicious, not to mention healthy.


What you'll need to make 10 blintzes (enough for 2 dinner and 2 lunch portions):

• 1 package taco seasoning (I use mild)
  
• 10 taco-sized flour tortillas
  
• 4 oz jack or cheddar cheese
• 1 lb of chicken, tenders or breasts*
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
  
• 1/2 can corn, drained
  
• 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• a couple of green onion stalks, diced
• olive oil
  
• about 20 wooden toothpicks

* You can easily omit the chicken for a vegetarian version. They will still be tasty.

And for the accompanying guacamole:

• 2 medium avocados
• 1 package guacamole seasoning
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 small red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced

What you'll need to do:

1: Drain the canned veggies, and mix together the tomatoes, corn, and beans. Chop up some green onion, and add that to the mix. Set aside.


2: Cut up the chicken into 10 smallish portions, like so:


3: Slice the cheese into 10 equal pieces. Put in a plastic ziplock bag with some air and the taco seasoning (I use about half the package of seasoning). Shake until the cheese is coated.

4: Start preheating the oven to 425°F at this point. Wrap the tortillas in paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to make them warm and flexible. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with some Pam or olive oil.


5: Assemble the blintzes. Put 1 piece of cheese, 1 portion of chicken, and 2-3 tablespoons of veggie filling into the center of each tortilla. Fold in all four sides, and secure the flaps with toothpicks. Once all the blintzes are assembled on the baking sheet, brush or spray with a bit more olive oil.


6: Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F. While the blintzes are cooking, mix together the guacamole.

7: Once out of the oven, let the blintzes cool for at least 5 minutes (10 is better), then take out the toothpicks and serve. Be careful, the cheese inside stays hot for a long time, and the unwary may end up chomping greedily and then gibbering and spilling a bit. This is especially unfortunate if you've been eating these on your brand new couch. Ahem.