Bean-Stuffed Tortillas with Cheese and Avocado

INGREDIENTS:

• • 2 large (10-to 12-inch) flour tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo from a can, including sauce
  • ½ cup chopped tomato
  • One 16-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ½ cup cooked white or brown rice (optional), heated in the microwave
  • ½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 ripe avocado, quartered, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Sour cream, hot sauce, and/or salsa for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the flour tortillas together in foil and heat in the oven 8 to 10 minutes while making the burrito filling. They should still be soft and easy to bend when you remove them from the oven. Keep the oven on for step 3, if desired.
   2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden and softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chipotles with sauce, tomato, and beans and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   3. Lay the warm tortillas on a work surface and spread the lower thirds of each with ¼ cup rice (if using), ½ cup or more of the bean mixture, ¼ cup cheese, some avocado slices, and chopped cilantro. Gently mix the ingredients together with a knife to blend. Roll up the tortillas to form burritos, folding in the sides as you go. Put the burritos back in the hot oven for 3 to 4 minutes, so the cheese melts, if desired.
   4. Serve the burritos immediately, with sour cream, hot sauce, and/or salsa on the side.

TIP:

• Don’t be afraid to get your hands a little dirty when rolling up your burrito (why do you think those guys wear plastic gloves?). The more you manhandle it, the less likely your fillings will fall out.