Shredded Beef & Mashed Potato Taquitos with Chunky Guacamole – Recipe!

I’m all about using up leftovers and I mentioned in Saturday’s post about repurposing some of the Slow-Cooker Vietnamese Style Pot Roast for another recipe.  Shredding up roast beef is an easy task and adding it to a tortilla, along with some mashed potatoes that you may have paired with the beef, or had for another dinner over the weekend are all that’s needed to make tasty taquitos.  Soft corn tortillas are easily filled with these two items from the refrigerator, and can be a most delightful meal in minutes.

Transforming leftovers is something I often do because I hardly ever eat the exact same meal in the same form.  Once is enough for me, but I make an exception when I can use the ingredients a second time around to make a brand new recipe.  Reusing beef for a delicious Mexican food meal is a great place to utilize leftovers.  Let’s face it, a tortilla can be your best friend when it comes to recreating a delicious meal because they’re so simple to stuff, roll, fold, or fry into tacos, burritos and especially crispy taquitos.

My guacamole is rustic and a little spicy because that’s the way I like it.  You can always tame it down by omitting some seeds from the jalapeno, but the heat is half the fun.  A squeeze of lemon or lime, some onions and freshly chopped cilantro added to a diced avocado is all it takes to make a great dipping condiment for these taquitos.  The whole dish is made in 15 minutes or less, and you can enjoy it for lunch, or dinner depending upon your cravings.

Ingredients

6 ounces leftover beef

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

8 corn tortillas

1 large avocado, diced

1/4 jalapeno with seeds

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon onion, minced

pinch of salt & pepper

vegetable oil for cooking

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. Remove beef from refrigerator, shred into small pieces with fingers.  Remove mashed potatoes and stir to loosen.
2. Heat stack of tortillas in microwave for 20 seconds to make pliable.  Place 1 tortilla on countertop, spoon beef and potatoes into center horizontally (see pic).  Roll up and set aside, seam side down.  Repeat until beef and potatoes are all gone.
3. In a small bowl, mash together with a fork; avocado, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Set aside.
4. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1/4 cup oil.  After 2 minutes place 2 taquitos in pan.  Brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Repeat until all taquitos are golden brown.  You may need to add more oil to pan, in between batches.
5. Serve with guacamole, any remaining jalapeno slices (if you like it hot), fresh lime or lemon wedges, and fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.  Enjoy!