Mexican Night

The other day, I was craving Mexican. We often go out for it, even though we haven't found a truly decent Mexican restuarant around here. But I have so many vegetables to cook, I can't justify going out. (The CSA has increased the quantity of veggies we get every week and frankly, we can't keep up. I've got loads of cooked veggies stored in the freezer, and more keep coming).

So I did a true frig and pantry clean-out to come up with the recipe below. If you keep canned chilies and jalapenos on hand, along with plenty of spices, you can make some good, spicy food.

Turkey Burritos

From my frig:
1 leek
1 bunch carrots
1 bunch spring onions
2 fennel bulbs
1 bunch spinach
A few sliced jalapeno peppers

From my freezer:
About 2 cups cooked turkey leftover from Thanksgiving (really! It was in a bit of gravy, but so what?)

From my pantry:
2 cans green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes
Cumin
Cinnamon
Oregano
Cilantro
Chili powder
Salt
Pepper

The method:
I diced up all the veggies (except the spinach) and sauteed them over medium heat until sweated. I added the spices, heavy on the cumin and chili powder, but generous with everything. I cooked this for about a minute, stirring constantly. I added the jalapenos, chilies, tomatoes (I drained them a bit, first), and the turkey. Then I washed and cut the spinach, mixing it in.

After stirring it well, I covered with a lid and let simmer for about 20 minutes, adjusting the seasoning to taste. It made a moist, meaty filling.

I served it wrapped in flour tortillas, with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, and a sliced avocado, and margaritas.

The mozzarella might sound strange. I would have used cheddar, but remember, I'm cleaning out my fridge. I used what I had, and it all tasted great!

You could do this with any mixture of items: don't be afraid to use whatever vegetables you have available. Any leftover meat will work - pork, chicken, beef. There are a variety of chili peppers out there, and they all lend a distinctive flavor to your meals.

Experiment!