A Snack to Ring in the New Year

Good afternoon bloggers! As you can all tell, EMEF has under gone a transformation. I figured, a new year is approaching and we needed to spruce things up a bit. Speaking of new year, New Year's is a day away and we need to think of what we will be munching on tomorrow as we count down to midnight. Personally, I love snacking on taquitos. If you don't know what a taquito is, it's a rolled up tortilla with some sort of yummy filling, such as beef or chicken. The taquito is then fried and devoured. Did you know that taquitos were invented in San Diego, California by a man named Ralph Pasqueria, Jr.? Okay, so now that you've had a little time to take in some knowledge as well as our changes, let's get in the kitchen and make some munchies!

Homemade Chicken Taquitos

You will need:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup salsa verde
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Pepperjack cheese, shredded
• 12 corn tortillas
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• cooking spray

Are you ready to conquer the taquito beast? Let's do it!

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.  
3. Fold in the chicken and cheeses.  
4. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap.  
6. Cook for 30 seconds or until the tortillas are soft and pliable. 
7. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly.  
8. Place them seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet.  
9. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
10. Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.  
11. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden brown.  
12. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
13. Enjoy!

Thank you all for joining me today. Also, thank you for sticking with me this entire year. You make my life enjoyable and I'm really grateful for all of you! Enjoy New Year's Eve and I will catch you on the flip side. Happy blogging to all! <3