Serve these crispy sticks with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, or with Mexi-Cali Pepper Jack Fondue (page 59).

• Toss the chicken with the taco seasoning in a bowl. Add the cheddar cheese and toss to mix.

• Roll a small amount of the chicken mixture tightly in each tortilla and place them on a tray.

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the taquitos, seam-side down first, in the oil on both sides until crisp. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Flautas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Flautas are similar to taquitos, but they are larger and made with flour tortillas instead of cornmeal. Flautas means “flutes,” which is what they resemble.