Brunch Burritos -- The Morning After the Stand, the Meal That Fills the House

Week 446. Year 9. Tommy is 42. Deer season. The stand at dawn. The coffee in the thermos. The waiting that is not waiting but praying — the silent prayer of a man in a tree, asking the woods for what the woods are willing to give. dirty rice for dinner from what the season provides.

Made dirty rice this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. The bayou runs on.

Coming down from the stand with cold hands and a quiet mind, the only thing I wanted was something that said home — eggs on the stove, the smell of something sizzling, the kind of breakfast that holds you through whatever the day asks of you. These brunch burritos became that meal for us: everything wrapped up tight, warm all the way through, the kind of thing you make for a table full of people who’ve all been out in the cold and need to feel like they’ve come back to something good.

Brunch Burritos

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 lb breakfast sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 lb bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen hash browns or diced potatoes, thawed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Salsa and sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the meat. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same skillet, crumble and brown the breakfast sausage until cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the diced onion, green pepper, and red pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add the hash browns and cook until lightly golden, another 3–4 minutes. Season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Scramble the eggs. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a bowl. Push the vegetables to the side of the skillet and pour the egg mixture into the center. Cook over medium-low heat, gently folding, until eggs are just set and still slightly soft. Stir in the reserved bacon and sausage.
4. Warm the tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds, or warm them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds per side.
5. Assemble the burritos. Lay a tortilla flat and spoon a generous portion of the egg and meat filling down the center. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly, burrito-style.
6. Finish and serve. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream on the side, or wrap each burrito in foil to keep warm until everyone is at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 27g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 890mg