Homemade Beef and Cheese Taquitos! Kid Friendly and Husband Approved ;)

When I was little I remember eating those store bought frozen taquitos. They were cheap enough, and super easy. Well, the homemade version is cheap enough and super easy AND HOMEMADE!

 
Check out the ingredient list difference:

Store Bought El Monterrey Taquitos INGREDIENT List 
Taco Beef & Cheese Taquitos in a Seasoned Batter 

WATER, WHEAT FLOUR (ENRICHED WITH NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SEASONED BEEF TOPPING (BEEF, WATER, DEHYDRATED ONION, SALT, CHILI PEPPER, SPICES, SUGAR, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, GARLIC), PASTEURIZED PROCESS MONTEREY JACK & CHEDDAR CHEESE ((MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), WATER, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, MILKFAT, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, SALT, ARTIFICIAL COLOR), VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN, SUNFLOWER, CANOLA AND/OR CORN OIL), BATTER MIX (YELLOW CORN FLOUR, BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SPICES, SALT, JALAPENO PEPPER, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE), GUAR GUM, SPICE EXTRACTIVE, OLEORESIN PAPRIKA AND TURMERIC), GREEN CHILI (WITH CITRIC ACID), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN (SOY FLOUR, CARAMEL COLOR), TACO SEASONING (CORN FLOUR, MALTODEXTRIN, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, SPICES, DEHYDRATED ONION, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, CITRIC ACID, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, COCOA POWDER, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, AND NOT MORE THAN 2% VEGETABLE OIL AND SILICON DIOXIDE (PROCESSING AIDS), ONIONS, FLOUR BLEND (SALT, RICE FLOUR, YEAST, CELLULOSE GUM, GUAR GUM, WHEAT, SODIUM BICARBONATE, WHEAT STARCH, FOOD STARCH, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (SODIUM METABISULFITE, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, L-CYSTEINE, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE), MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, SILICON DIOXIDE (TO PREVENT CAKING)), MODIFIED CORN STARCH, BEEF FLAVOR (AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, FLAVOR, SALT, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, SILICON DIOXIDE (ANTI-CAKING AGENT)), SPICES, DEHYDRATED GARLIC, CAYENNE PEPPER. ALLERGENS: WHEAT, MILK, SOY.

Link:  Taco Beef & Cheese Taquitos in a Seasoned Batter

Half of these ingredients I can't pronounce, and not really sure what some of them are. I have a personal rule when shopping, if I can't pronounce something on a label, don't know what it is or contains more then a certain number of ingredients, I usually don't buy it. I know that there are alternatives, and I know that I can always make something homemade. NEVER be embarrassed to read food labels while grocery shopping. At first I felt strange because it wasn't something I normally did, but now I just do my thing :)

When ingredient lists are made, keep in mind that the list is made according to the amount of whats in it, so by weight. The ingredients start with what it has most of in it, or the most weight and simply go in order from most to least. 

For Example: Cereal, ingredient list is, let's say, Rice, sugar, flavor

This means that the cereals main ingredient is rice, following sugar, then flavor is the least. So this cereals weight is mainly rice, then sugar, then flavor. 

I'll get into food labeling more another time, this is just a tip to remember :) I did highlight certain ingredients, maybe you can look them up. Like I said, another time I will go into more detail.

Here is the ingredient list for Our HOMEMADE Beef  and Cheese Taquitos:

Organic Ground Beef, organic sprouted corn tortillas {filtered water, sea salt, lime} cheese {salt, enzymes} black beans rinsed{salt} rbst free pasteurized milk, non-fat rbst free milk, pectin {contains REAL live and active cultures}, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, pepper

Which one would would you prefer? I'll stick to the homemade one. 

Homemade Beef and Cheese Taquitos
1 lb ground beef { I used Organic Prairie} {or use chicken, steak, or just the beans filling}
12-24 corn tortillas depending on how little or big you want {I used Food for Life Sprouted Corn Tortillas}
2 cups shredded cheese { Buy a block and grate your own, its cheaper}
1 can black beans, rinsed, mushed up a bit {Or beans of choice}
1/3 c yoghurt { I used Mountain High, Plain} {or you can use sour cream}
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP Coriander
1 TSP Turmeric {optional}
1TSP chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Dip
Salsa and yoghurt mixed together {you can also use salsa and sour cream}

First you want to cook your ground beef, then add cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powder

In a separate bowl mix mushed up beans with yoghurt and cheese

Mix beef mixture in the bowl with beans, yoghurt and cheese. 

You will want to place each corn tortilla on the skillet for 10 seconds on each side, if you skip this step you will regret it because the tortilla will tear. This will help the tortillas become soften so you can fold them up without them breaking.

 

Place about 2 TBSP of the beef and bean mixture in each tortilla, roll them up and place on a baking sheet. Bake @ 350 until the taquitos are warmed and a bit toasted. Serve.

I made a salsa and yoghurt dip for ours, and also made some guacamole to dip in or eat with chips :) 

My kids REALLY liked these taquitos, I will be making them again very soon. They are so simple and I plan on making a batch to just have in the freezer for days when I need something quick.


Try these homemade taquitos, tweaking them to your liking and never look back to store bought again. You will be getting more nutritional value, feeling accomplished AND be getting less "make you feel yucky stuff" :) You can feel good about giving these to your kids. 

I based my recipe off of the one found here, but tweaking it to my liking: The Elliott Homestead