Mexican Egg Rolls

I was lying back in the dental chair at 8:30 in the morning, and while my hygienist scraped at my teeth, I thought about food.  Specifically, what I would make for supper.  Because of my husband's schedule this day, I was thinking along the lines of a nice sandwich or maybe pizza.

Quesadillas occurred to me and I contemplated that for a while, scrape, scrape, for instance, what kind of quesadilla and did I want to grill them, cook them in a frypan, bake them, stack them? Pick, pick, scrape.  As I imagined this dish further, a reality struck. I don't really enjoy flour tortillas.  I like corn tortillas.  So I flipped to enchiladas in my mind, but no, once again, because of scheduling, I needed something that didn't necessarily need to be served piping hot. 

I think it was when the dental hygienist shined that light (you know the one I'm talking about) right in my eyes, that I thought about egg roll wrappers and decided to make Mexican egg rolls.  Or perhaps I should call them mini-chimichangas. 

For more about using egg roll wrappers, click here.  And I have also used them for dessert.  Now I'm thinking about using them for a "breakfast burrito". 

Mexican Egg Rolls
1 lb. ground chuck
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped, seeds removed if desired
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup water
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can refried beans
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
8 oz. grated pepper jack cheese
1 pkg. (20) egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten with a little water

In a large skillet, cook ground chuck over medium heat until no longer pink.  Drain off any excess fat.  Stir in onions, garlic, peppers, tomato paste, water, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper.  Simmer at medium low heat, until vegetables are tender and water has cooked off. 

Spread about a tablespoon of beans onto the center of each egg roll wrapper. Top with a couple tablespoons of the meat mixture, then some cheese, and a few diced tomatoes.  Roll up like a little envelope, using a little of the egg wash to seal them.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush all over with egg wash.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden brown. 

Serve with salsa and sour cream.  I wanted to also include guacamole, but I did not plan ahead and all the avocados at the store were rock hard.