If I could choose one food to eat every day for the rest of my life I would definitely choose burritos. They are perfect, especially this time of year when there are unlimited amounts of veggies waiting to be eaten. Morning, noon, or night (not all on the same day, of course), you can find me eating burritos stuffed with veggies and beans, smothered in sauce, and dripping in melted cheese.
Zucchini & Bean Burrito with Garden Salsa & Tillamook Colby Jack Cheese
To me, any food that is topped with melted cheese will elicit glee. I am a cheese junkie. Give me cheese or give me death. Put that cheese on a burrito? Now you are my best friend.
When I want a good melting cheese, I look for one that’s creamy and soft. I typically aim for a good Monterey jack or Colby jack. These cheeses taste rich and comforting, a fancy treat to top off my meal.
You can imagine my joy when the fine folks at Tillamook sent me a glorious package of… Cheese! Tillamook makes dairy products I can feel good about eating because they use milk from West Coast cows that have not been treated with hormones.
Cheese in hand, I quickly went to work on a summertime burrito inspired by my garden. I topped it with homemade salsa, cheese, and even more fresh tomatoes on the side.
Thanks for the free samples, Tillamook Cheese! 🙂
Want Free Cheese Samples & Free Tickets to the Zoo?
If you want to get some Tillamook cheese for yourself, head to the Sacramento Zoo this Saturday, July 30th. To celebrate all things cheese, starting at 9:00 AM, the first 100 people wearing orange to arrive at the Tillamook Baby Loaf bus will receive free entry to the zoo. The Tillamook VW bus that looks like a giant brick of cheese will be parked adjacent to the ticketing booth. Once inside the zoo, more cheese fun awaits with free samples, coupons, and general cheese love.
Zucchini & Bean Burrito with Garden Salsa & Tillamook Colby Jack Cheese
Zucchini & Garden Salsa Bean Burrito with Tillamook Colby Jack Cheese Recipe
4 flour tortillas
½ cup zucchini, diced
15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
½ large onion (white or red), diced
2 Tablespoons soy-rizo
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup of your favorite garden salsa
1 cup grated Tillamook Colby Jack cheese
1 large ripe tomato cut in chunks
1 jalapeño, sliced thinly, optional
1 Serrano chili, sliced thinly, optional
Garden-grown or farmers’ market ingredients: zucchini, onion, salsa, tomato, chilies, tortillas
West Coast ingredients: cheese
Supermarket fare: beans, soy-rizo, chili powder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
On a baking sheet or oven-proof dish, lay the tortillas flat. Top each with equal amounts of the zucchini, beans, onion, and soy-rizo. Sprinkle these ingredients lightly with chili powder. Roll each tortilla to form a burrito.
Top each burrito with ÂĽ cup salsa and spread it evenly over the top of the burrito. Next, top the salsa with ÂĽ cup grated cheese. Bake in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Place each burrito on a serving plate. Add chunks of tomato on the sides, and if desired, top the burritos with slices of jalapeño and Serrano chilies. Serve.
Yield: 4 burritos
