Recipe of the Week: Fat Taquitos with Homemade Salsa con Queso Sauce

The other night, Taco Tuesday in fact, I was really craving Mexican food. Oftentimes, when the need for Mexican food arises, I turn to one of a couple of my favorites: enchiladas or tacos. I admit though, that I get tired of those two and need a bit of variety, so I decided to make Fat Taquitos. What's the difference between a Fat Taquito and a regular one? The amount of filling. That's it. I also had the wondrous idea to make a salsa con queso sauce, and, man oh man, was that one of the best ideas I've ever had! Read on for the recipe.

Fat Taquitos with Homemade Salsa con Queso Sauce

Ingredients:

For the taquitos:

2 c. leftover cooked, or cooked & cooled, basmati rice*

1/2 a medium onion, chopped

1 t. each onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and oregano**

1/2 T. Italian seasoning and cumin**

1 heaping T. chili powder**

2 T. cooking oil

2 c. vegetarian, or fat-free, refried beans

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

15 medium-sized tortillas

Cooking spray***

For the salsa con queso sauce:

3 T. margarine****

1/8 c. + 1 T. flour

1.5 - 2 c. unflavored, unsweetened, plant-based milk

3/4 c. vegan cheese*****

1/2 c. salsa of choice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

3. When the oil begins to ripple, add the rice, onion, and seasonings. Mix well to incorporate everything. Fry, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add the refried beans, black beans, and cooled rice mixture. Mix well.

5. Spray a baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.

6. It's time to fill your taquitos! Using roughly 1/3 - 1/2 c. of filling per tortillas, fill them, roll them without sealing the ends, and line them up on the baking sheet. It's okay to squish them together.

7. When your taquitos are all filled and on the baking sheet, spray the tops of the taquitos liberally with cooking spray as well.

8. Put the taquitos in the preheated over, and bake them until they are lightly golden brown. This takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on the oven.

9. While the taquitos bake, make your salsa con queso sauce. Begin by adding the margarine to a sauce pan over medium-high heat.

10. When the margarine has melted completely, add the flour and whisk well until they are incorporated together.

11. Add half the milk and whisk well, continuing to whisk until the mixture is too thick to whisk. Add the rest of the milk and repeat. This time, the mixture will thicken to the proper consistency. It might seem a bit thin, but you'll be adding cheese and salsa.

12. Add vegan cheese and whisk lightly until the cheese completely melts into the mixture.

13. Remove from heat and add the salsa. Stir well.

14. When the taquitos are finished, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Pour some of the salsa con queso sauce over them and enjoy with your favorite accoutrements.

Notes:

*You can use any rice, I prefer jasmine or basmati however. You can also cook the rice beforehand, just make sure it's completely cooled first, or it will turn to mush in the frying pan.

**In lieu of the seasonings, you can add half to a full packet of taco seasoning.

***You can use cooking oil instead of cooking spray, but cooking spray is better. It's better for non-stick purposes, and it makes a healthier & lighter taquito without the extra fat.

****I used Earth Balance, but any vegan margarine will do.

*****Daiya cheddar is absolutely fabulous here so it's my personal recommendation, but you can use whatever vegan cheese and flavor you prefer.

I like to serve my taquitos with greens, chopped olives, chopped onions, chopped jalapenos, Tofutti Better than Sour Cream, Hampton Creek's Just Ranch, salsa, Valentina's hot sauce, and nooch. You can get creative with your embellishments.

Enjoy!