I saw a sweet potato burrito on the menu in the Short North Tavern in Columbus, Ohio, and decided to try it–I love sweet potatoes; I love burritos; just because I never would have thought of combining the two concepts doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea!  Turns out it’s a really good idea!  Not only that, but the basic recipe was very easy to replicate.  If you happen to have some sweet potatoes left over from another meal (as long as they don’t have marshmallows on them!), just shrink the proportions of this recipe to suit the amount of sweet potatage available.

These can be frozen and reheated in a microwave or toaster oven, so go ahead and make a large batch. To make 10, you will need:

• 60 oz. canned sweet potatoes (preferably without added sugar) or 4 or 5 sweet potatoes that you have baked and peeled
• 1 small onion or 1/2 large onion
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 lb. cheddar or jack cheese
• 10 large flour tortillas
• olive oil or other cooking oil
• mixing bowl
• large skillet
• colander
• waxed paper, or plastic liner bags saved from cereal or cracker boxes
• 2 gallon-size plastic bags with zip-tops, or equivalent freezer packaging

Drain sweet potatoes and mash in the bowl. Drain off any pockets of liquid that appear as you’re mashing.

Dice onion and brown it in oil in skillet. Meanwhile, grate cheese.

Mix sweet potatoes, onion mixture, and chili powder in bowl. If you are going to eat some burritos right away, scoop enough filling for each burrito into skillet and heat it before the next step.

Sprinkle cheese in a line across center of one tortilla, ending about 1 inch from each edge. Scoop some filling over cheese and distribute evenly. Fold ends of tortilla over filling. Fold one side up, then roll. Repeat with each tortilla.

Wrap each burrito in waxed paper. Put several together in a bag. Close the zip-top most of the way. Press air out of the bag, then use your mouth to suck out as much air as you can before closing the zip-top. (This prevents frost from forming inside the bag to make your burritos soggy and freezer-flavored.)

Reheat a burrito by removing from waxed paper and microwaving on a plate for 1-2 minutes or heating on a pan in toaster oven at 350F for 7-10 minutes (keep an eye on it!).

You can make a batch of these and a batch of Bean Burritos in an hour and have 20 quick lunches ready to go!  They’re good in the freezer for at least 3 months.