Crockpot Chimichangas

I came across this recipe a year or so ago.  I believe I found it on A Year of Slow Cooking, but she was given the idea by someone else.  I apologize that I cannot properly credit the original source. The picture is one that I took when I made them.  Besides being easy, I love that I'm able to satisfy a craving for a not-so-healthy dish by controlling what goes in it and how it is prepared.  If you would prefer to make this with chicken, you can easily substitute the crockpot beef or pork portion with the chicken from Crockpot Chicken Tacos.

Crockpot Chimichangas

1 1/2 pound top round or pork
salt and pepper
1/2 cup water
1 T dried minced onion, or 1 diced fresh onion
1 can tomatoes and chiles, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained

burrito-sized tortillas          

lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, guacamole, salsa OR salsa verde and sour cream

*optional sides: black beans or rice

Directions

You are going to have to be in the kitchen if you plan on making chimichangas. It doesn't take long, but there is no way around this---you need to fry up the cute little tortilla packets.

In the morning:

Salt and pepper meat on all sides. Place in crockpot and cover with 1/2 cup of water. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Evening:

Skim the fat out of the liquid at the bottom of your stoneware, and remove excess juice. You only need about a cup of juice left in the crockpot.

Put your meat back inside, and shred it with two forks. The meat should come apart easily. If it doesn't, cut it in pieces and cook on low a few more hours.

Add can of drained diced tomatoes and drained tomatoes and chiles.

Turn  crock to high to warm all ingredients.

Prepare toppings.

When the meat is hot again, start making chimichanga packets. Steam tortillas by stacking a few at a time on a plate and covering with a dampened paper towel. Microwave for 60 seconds.

Take a steamed tortilla and put a spoonful of meat in the center. If you use too much meat, it won't fold correctly.

Fold the bottom and top of the tortilla, then the sides. The sides need to overlap a bit, so the meat doesn't escape.

Heat up some oil in a large skillet. When it is super hot, carefully put the chimichanga into the oil, seam-side down. Fry until golden brown (about 1 min) then flip.

Top with cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.