Chimichanga Balls and Jake's Rice

  My nephew Zach, who is 8 and autistic, has been bugging me for the last few months to make chimichanga balls. I don't know where he came up with this idea, but he hasn't given up on it. I was over there earlier today, and he asked me to text Jake, and tell him to make him these. I told him I would go home and try. Of course I have looked all over the internet to find a recipe, and have came up empty. I had to get creative.

  First, I went to the store and bought a small pork roast ($5.00). I came home, salt and peppered it, placed it in a deep pot, seared it all sides in olive oil, next I added chicken stock and water. I let it boil until it was easy to shred.

  Next, I made homemade tortilla dough, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, mix that together, then added 3 tbs olive oil, and 3/4 cups water. Mix that all together, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead 10 to 12 times until the dough is smooth. Let rest for 10 minutes. I tripled this recipe, I was feeding 6 people.

  I then placed shredded cheese in a bowl. I took a small ball of the tortilla dough and flattened it, into a small circle, place a small amount of cheese in the middle, followed by a small amount of shredded pork, next, close it up by folding all the sides into the middle, then shape it into a ball. I then placed 3 at a time into my little deep fryer (this took a while to cook all that I needed). I cooked until the were golden brown. I placed them on a plate lined with paper towels. Then I put them on a cookie sheet in the oven on 200 degrees, just to keep them warm while I cooked the rest.

  For the rice, Jake, took a box of chicken flavored rice a roni, and made it much better. To the rice he added 1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes, saffron, ancho chili powder, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 1/2 cinnamon stick, oregano, and smoked paprika. It had just the right amount of spice.

  The best part was to get a thumbs up and you did good aunt Shannon, from Zach. It must not have been to bad because there wasn't much left.