Grilled Beef and Cheese Burritos

I created this recipe based on an great restaurant experience I had lately. I ordered a grilled vegetarian burrito, a flour tortilla filled with rice, beans, bell peppers, and guacamole. The tortilla was stuffed, folded, rolled and then grilled. It was fantastic, but I thought there could be more to it. I started thinking about how awesome it would be with beef and cheese. Plus, any well-loved grill pan or griddle adds its own seasoning, sending the flavor through the roof.

I must admit, this dinner blew away the restaurant meal. And, I saved plenty of dough by eating at home!

Want to prep ahead? The burritos can be assembled and grilled up to 24 hours in advance. Store them in the refrigerator and reheat them just before serving. To reheat, place the grilled burritos on a baking pan and warm them in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through completely. That's exactly what I did - I made the burritos in advance, popped them in the refrigerator, and reheated them after track practice (when my boys are at their peak of hunger!).

Grilled Beef and Cheese Burritos

1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn, keep frozen until ready to use
1 cup cheddar cheese
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Salt for dusting the top
Paprika for dusting the top
Salsa for serving

Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the chili powder, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir to coat the beef. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs and spices are fragrant.
Stir in the tomato sauce and corn and cook 2 minutes. Fold in the cheese.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Arrange the tortillas on a flat surface. Spoon the beef mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Fold over the bottom of each tortilla to cover the filling, fold in the sides, then continue rolling up.
Coat a stovetop grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Add the burritos, seam-side down and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, until you have golden brown grill marks. While the burritos cook, spray the surface with cooking spray and season the top with the salt and paprika. Flip and grill the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, until you get grill marks.
Serve with salsa on the side.

Serves 4