Fully Loaded Pork Taquitos

I grew up eating good ole farm country recipes.  There were no Mexican, Chinese, or other ethnic dinners served in my childhood home.  I've tried hard to expand my food horizons to include other ethnic culinary options.  This has become one of my favorite go-to recipes.

2 white onions
20 oz ground pork
2 Tbsp Southwest spice blend
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
12 flour tortillas
1 cup Mexican cheese blend
1 lime

2 Roma tomatoes
8 Tbsp sour cream
8 Tbsp Guacamole

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.  

Wash and dry all produce.  

Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion.  Mince a few slices until you have 2 Tbsp.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes.  Add pork; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until pork is browned and cooked through and onion is softened, 4 - 6 minutes. 

Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, brown sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup water.  Simmer until thickened, 2 - 3 minutes.  Turn off heat.

Meanwhil drizzle tortillas with 2 Tbsp olive oil.  brush or rub to completely coat.

Place tortillas on a clean work surface.  Once pork filling is done, add a heaping 1/4 cup filling to one side of each tortilla, then sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp Mexican cheese.  Roll up tortillas, starting with the filled sides, to create taquitos.  Place seam sides down on prepared sheet pan.  Make sure the taquitos are snug on the sheet pan - this will prevent them from unrolling.

Bake on middle rack until golden brown and crispy, 8 - 12 minutes.  

While taquitos bake, finely dice tomato.  Zest and quarter the lime.

In a small bowl, combine tomato, minced onion, half the lime zest, and a squeeze of lime juice.  Season with salt. 

In a separate small bowl, combine guacamole, sour cream, remaining lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

Divide taquitos between plates.  Top with pico de gallo and creamy guacamole.  Serve with hot sauce, if desired.