Tuesday, October 18, 2011

On The Go: Spicy Bean and Rice Burrito! :)

I absolutely love Southwestern Tex-Mex food like so many other people do, and this burrito is the easiest way to have a quick hot burrito for lunch for a fraction of what it would cost to go to a fast food restaurant during your lunch hour, plus it takes only a few minutes to put together.  You will need access to a microwave, but other than that, you can easily pack it up at home and heat it up for a minute or so during lunch giving you an inexpensive, tasty, satisfying and filling (meatless as well) hot meal.  =D

Here is what you will need to buy and do beforehand;

1 can Ranch Style beans (15 - 19 ounces depending on the brand)  "La Sierra" brand is 19 ounces, "Ranch Style" brand is 15 ounces.
1/2 of a Long Hot pepper, diced
1 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon "Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon" chicken base
1 cup Minute Rice
1 handful of sharp cheddar cheese
Taco size flour tortillas or corn tortillas

This recipe makes about 8 small burritos depending on how much you fill in each tortilla and reheats well.

In a small pan pour one cup of filtered water and place on the burner of your stove top.  Add 1 teaspoon "Better Than Bouillon" chicken base to the water and bring it to a rapid boil.  As soon as the water boils pour in the Minute Rice and stir once with a fork, turn off the heat or move to a cooled spot, then put on the fitted lid so rice can absorb the chicken broth water.

In another small pan, add your Ranch Style beans and the diced hot pepper bringing it to a boil then reducing to a simmer with a lid on the pan, allowing the peppers to infuse their flavors.   Simmer for about 2 minutes and remove from heating element.

It takes about 10 minutes or so for the Minute Rice to absorb the chicken broth but once there is no liquid in the bottom of pan under the rice then you can combine the hot beans with the rice blending them together.  At this point you can allow to cool and then store in the fridge for the next day, or go ahead and make you a burrito!

To make your burrito, you first must heat up the bean and rice mixture, if it is not hot already.  Heat about a cup full in a microwavable dish for about a minute.  Put a flour tortilla on a paper towel and heat for about 10 seconds.  Take the bean and rice mixture and put on the flour tortilla and add the shredded cheese.  Microwave for another 10 seconds or until cheese melts.  Garnish with whatever else you like as well.

There ya go!  It's tasty and fast, easy to prepare, and it didn't cost you $5 dollars to make a whole pot full!  ;)