• In a medium bowl combine softened cream cheese with black beans, jalapeños, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Remove 1 saucy chipotle pepper from the can and finely mince. Add to the cream bean mixture along with an extra ½ tsp of adobo sauce. Stir it all up and set aside.
• A little taste test of the filing can be done and will ensure these tasty taquitos are seasoned to your liking and you can adjust the spices/chipotle during this step.
• Next, working in small batches of 3-4 tortillas, wrap corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds until warm and pliable. The goal here is to steam the tortillas so they roll easily without breaking or cracking.
• To each tortilla, add 2 TBSP of veggie filling side by side about ⅓ of the way up from the bottom of the tortilla, shaping the filling into a little log.
• Tightly roll each tortilla while it's still warm. Place seam side down on a large plate or baking sheet. You can secure each with a toothpick if needed.
• Repeat these steps for the remaining tortillas and filling. Depending on your measuring you'll have 10-12 tasty taquitos.
• In a high-sided frying pan, heat about ¼ inch of oil over medium-high heat. Use tongs to carefully place 4 taquitos in the oil, seam side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. If you have a larger pan you can cook more at once but it will require more oil. I typically use one of my smaller pans and work in batches.
• Remove from the pan and place on a stack of folded paper towels to drain off any oil. For even crispier results, place the paper towels atop a wire cooling rack.
• Enjoy hot with a variety of dips for dunking. See blog post for recipes if you need them. xoxo

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS

• To freeze taquitos for later, first lightly pan fry via instructions above, then allow them to cool fully on paper towels. Next place them spaced on parchment paper on a plate or small baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for an hour or so. Once they’re set, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container of choice and write the date on it. They should be good for 1-2 months.
• Frozen taquitos can be reheated in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer and cook up beautifully.