In a skillet put browned ground beef (or brown it!), leftover burrito filling use it up!), corn (frozen), red pepper diced. Using up lots of bits from previous meals.

Add lime juice and cilantro. About a half a lime’s worth and cilantro to taste. (This is from an organic tube of cilantro in olive oil)

Add chopped tomato and refried beans (leftovers in this case).

Thing 1 took this “action” shot of one of my tricks. I’m snipping red pepper strips with my kitchen scissors. Easy peasy!

Since this is “to taste” I added a bit more red pepper and corn.

Turn off heat. Let mixture sit for a few minutes. The flavours will just keep blending beautifully. This is a good time to melt your butter.

Yes. Butter! (About 1/3 cup. Melted. To be brushed on the wrapped Chimichangas.

Gluten free tortillas, Traditional and a single smaller leftover tortilla from Burrito night. Perfect size for Thing 2.

See? Much smaller! Just right for a teeny tummy.

Once they are wrapped and the seem side is down, brush with the melted butter.

It looks so sinful, doesn’t it?

The butter will coat the tortillas and make a nice crispy Chimichanga, without deep frying. A little brush of butter goes a long way! (and as you can clearly see a lot just rolls down to the sheet pan.)

Here is my GF tortilla. It’s pretty stiff. I brushed it a bit first in hopes to soften it, but it didn’t really work.

I managed to fold and roll it up, but you can clearly see where it ripped/

Here are all the Chimichangas. Only mine is buttery at this point. (pre-brushed)

My cracked Chimichanga. Boo hoo!

You can see right inside. I kind of expected to see a big mess.

I baked them at 350 for about 15 minutes, before adding cheese. Then I forgot to take a photo of the cheese, so I pretty much stuck my face, hands and camera into a 350 degree oven to get a shot.

The lengths I will go to for you sweet readers! Ai yi yi!

Melted cheese on a crispy Chimichanga.

Mmmm.

I like the lacy cheese crisps.

Comparrison: GF vs. Gluten full.

I want this one soooo bad!

Or this one.

Here is Thing 1’s plate.

Here is Thing 1 digging in.

My Gluten free Chimichanga.

*OM*

*Nom*

*NOM*

*Bonus! How to fill and fold a Chimichanga for leak-free baking!

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**Bonus bonus! “Homemade” Guacamole with Rick Bayless “Frontera” enhancement.

Perfectly ripened avocados & Frontera Guacamole mix.

It seems to want to get to know the avocados better.

B’okay! I’ll add avocados! (2)

No preservatives. FYI.

Ingredient list is short. That’s great!

I love a perfect avocado. It always feels like a little win.

Mmmm! You are so perfect. I’m gonna mush you now!

Beautiful mess.

Three avocados (because I’m a rebel) and the mix.

The finished product.

Chimichanga condiments.

***Thing Bonus! The reasons I do the things I do.

Someone had an epic playdate earlier and needed a pre-fiesta siesta. D’awww. BB is such a good body guard. Never shuts her eyes!

Happy Things make me happy.

Thing 1 loved the naturally occurring cheese “crisps”. Yum!

And that’s how we do “Tex-Mex Week” at Chez Peady!

I hope you enjoyed seeing our “Tex-Mex Week” as much as we enjoyed documenting it.

Do you ever pick a theme and explore it with your kiddos? What kinds of things does your family do to learn about different cultures, countries or cuisines?

If you decide to have a Tex-Mex week – or another theme week, I’d love to hear all about it!

Here’s to a happy and stress-free week! (What?!? I hear that’s *totally* a thing!)