Street Taco Burritos

I couldn't decide what to call this dish at first: "Baby Burritos" didn't seem right because the filling is peaking out of the top. But "Street Tacos" isn't accurate either because this is much more than that; this is a casserole dish filled with stuffed flour tortillas that are smothered in cheese. Inside those little roll-ups? A savory blend of seasoned beef, black beans and fluffy rice. So it's like street tacos and burritos had a baby. And you need just 6 ingredients, so we should also call it awesome.

How about if we just call it "delicious"? Because that's the bottom line! Each street taco-sized tortilla is bursting with flavor from taco-seasoned beef; and is ultra-satisfying because the beef is jacked up with tender black beans and white rice. And since we take a little shortcut by using store-bought taco seasoning, this meal couldn't be easier to prepare.

Call it what you want, just make sure you try it! And, feel free to make adjustments and substitutions to the ingredient list to suit your needs (and so you can work with what you already have on hand). For example, use any size tortilla you have; they all work. Try ground chicken or turkey if you don't have beef. Use brown rice, or jasmine or basmati instead of white. Grab whatever cheeses you have and combine sharp with melty for the ultimate cheese topping. Use white, pink, pinto, or kidney beans instead of black. And swap fajita seasoning for taco seasoning if that's already in your pantry.

The variations are endless, and the result is divine.

Street Taco Burritos 

Cooking spray
1 pound lean ground beef
Taco seasoning of choice, plus water as directed (my recipe called for 1 packet or 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup canned black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked rice of choice (either cooked from scratch or a microwavable pouch)
10-12 street taco-size flour or corn tortillas
1-2 cups Mexican cheese blend, or a blend of your favorite cheeses
Optional toppings: 
Chopped green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
Salsa or picante sauce
Hot sauce
Avocado
Lime

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the taco seasoning and water and simmer for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the black beans and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat.
Spoon the rice into the tortillas and arrange them side-by-side the prepared pan. Spoon the beef mixture over the rice, filling each tortilla. Top the tortillas with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve with optional toppings.
Serves 4-6