Asian Meets Mexican

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."

by Lao Tzu

The following two recipes are versatile. Using the same ingredients one can be a main course or an appetizer.

Appetizer

Open-Faced Burritos with a margarita

Cook's notes: How much chili powder and hotness of salsa depends on your taste.

I used medium flavor salsa and 1-1/2 TB chili powder.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1/2 can (16 oz.) vegetarian refried beans
• 3/4 jar ( 16 oz.) chunky salsa
• 1-2 TB chili powder
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 small onion diced

Directions:

• Cook hamburger with onion and crumble into small pieces-drain and return back to frying pan
• Add in rest of ingredients and cook on low heat about 25 minutes uncovered

Serving:

• For burritos place on warmed shells: diced tomatoes, lettuce and meat mixture-optional adding black olives on top and serving with a dollop of guacamole/sour cream on the side  
• For appetizer serve meat mixture on large chips, adding diced tomatoes lettuce, olives and guacamole  

Asian Chicken Salad Wraps

Cook's notes: The original recipe started with one from Southern Living May 2013 Asian Chicken Salad Wraps but then I made several additions by adding in a dressing, coleslaw and nuts.

Ingredients:

• Wishbone Lite Vinaigrette Dressing Asian with Sesame and Ginger 
• pea pods
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken-diced
• 1- small bag 3 color coleslaw from produce section 
• 1 package Sun- Dried Tomato= Basil Flour Tortilla 
• 1 bag China Boy Rice Noodles 
• optional chopped cashews

Directions:

• For easier wrapping tortillas should be at room temperature
• In a large bowl mix 1 cup coleslaw mixture, 1-1/2 cup pea pods sliced in half, chicken and dressing. Start out with 1/4 cup dressing (I always start out small) and mix with chicken, coleslaw and pea pods 
• Refrigerate 1/2 hour
• Add in 1 cup rice noodles, you may want to add in a drizzle more of dressing at this point
• Divide mixture between 2-3 wraps and roll tightly-cut in half on diagonal