Cheesecake Burritos

A fun take on an old classic! This dish started out as a "goof" in my kitchen, but ended up being really incredible! I thought I would kick off my week of  Cinco de Mayo inspired dishes with this little gem. Though the cheesecake filling is basically the same (give or take a pinch of cinnamon), I have included two DIFFERENT topping choices; just in case strawberries aren't your thing. Either way, it's fantastic! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (especially good if you decide to go with the apple topping)
4 flour tortillas (soft taco size, 6 or 8")
1 pt strawberries, washed and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 to 4 cups canola oil, for frying
*toothpicks, for securing
*additional mix of cinnamon and sugar, for sprinkling (about 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon, mixed)

Directions:

Mix sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Pour oil in a deep sided fry pan and heat over med/high heat. (It takes about 8-10 minutes for it to be ready.) While oil is heating, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Mix by hand or with an electric mixer until creamy and all lumps are gone. Stir in 1 tsp of cinnamon. (This is an optional ingredient, but adds a really nice touch. Especially if you use the apple topping.) Warm up tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds, just to make them softer. Spoon about 1/4 cup of cheesecake mix on to the middle of the tortilla. Fold and tuck to form a burrito, making sure filling stays inside. Secure with 1-2 toothpicks along the seam. Using tongs, place burritos (one at a time) into the oil, and lightly fry. Remove from oil and let cool on paper towel. Remove toothpicks, lightly sprinkle with mix of cinnamon and sugar, and top with strawberries. (The strawberries will have had enough time to macerate and make a really nice sauce.) SO GOOD! You can get REALLY decadent and add some chopped nuts and a drizzle of chocolate, maybe even some whipped cream! Oh the possibilities!!!

Apple Topping Ingredients:
2-4 apples, halved and sliced (I used a mix of red and green)
1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes; just until it cooks down and apples are tender. Proceed with recipe as listed above. My husband REALLY liked this version! And again, some chopped nuts and whipped cream would be amazing here! Make it your own!