cinco de val-o

Ok, ok, ok, I know it's not really Cinco De Val-o. But since Leigh dubbed it that and it just kind of stuck, I'm rolling with it... :P

I had a GREAT day yesterday. 

It started with a little decoration of my cubicle from Shannon and Nicole...

Cards from the work crew and our sweet friend who makes us cookies...

And followed up by some homemade deliciousness at the hands of the best-looking cook I've had in my kitchen, well, ever.

And a yummy, strawberry cake with cream-cheese icing. Sigh. Mmmm.

Patiently waiting for cake.

The dinner? Homemade Creamy Chicken Taquitos courtesy of Annie's Eats. Oh. My. Deliciousness. These are not your frozen taquitos from a box.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Yield: about 12 taquitos

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup salsa

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1-2 green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)

10-12 6-inch flour tortillas

Cooking spray

Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese.  Mix thoroughly until well combined.  

Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-3o seconds.  Place a tortilla on a work surface.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla.  Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling.  Place seam-side down on a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.  (You may be tempted to skip the sprinkle of salt, but it really adds a nice touch.)  

(To freeze before baking, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos 30-60 minutes.  Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag.  To bake from the freezer, simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through.)

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.   Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.