By August. Back to school. Marcus enters 12th grade — SENIOR YEAR. The last year of high school. The year of college applications, senior portraits, the particular bittersweet energy of a boy who is about to leave the table. He applied to Morehouse (his first choice), Howard (Jasmine's future alma mater, though neither of them knows that yet), Emory (Terrell's alma mater — the most complicated application on the list), and three others. Six applications. Six essays. Each essay, in some way, about the kitchen. About Mama. About the table. The boy writes about food the way I cook about life: from the inside, with the bones showing.
Jasmine enters 10th grade at the performing arts magnet. Isaiah enters 10th grade in Marietta. Zoe enters 8th grade. The house is in motion again — the summer quiet replaced by the school-year hum, the backpacks and schedules and "I need lunch money" that is the soundtrack of a house with four children. The soundtrack is loud and familiar and I would not trade it for any silence. Not even the 5 AM silence. Not even the porch silence. The noise is the family. The family is the noise.
Made a first-day dinner: the taco bar. Established tradition now. Every component by a different cook: Marcus's meat and tortillas, Isaiah's guacamole, Jasmine's pico de gallo (she's taken over the pico; it's hers now), Zoe's churros (dessert tacos — a concept she invented and defended against skepticism and which turned out to be genius). The bar is the family. The family is the bar. Self-assembly required. Results excellent.
After a taco bar that big — four cooks, four contributions, Zoe’s churro tacos silencing every skeptic in the room — I knew the morning after had to carry some of that same energy. These sausage egg burritos have the same spirit as the bar we built together: simple components, everyone grabs what they need, results better than they have any right to be. Marcus heads into senior year, Zoe into 8th grade genius territory, and this kitchen keeps feeding all of it.
Sausage Egg Burritos
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (for serving)
- 1/2 cup salsa (for serving)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Cook the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground breakfast sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat and set aside.
- Scramble the eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well combined. Wipe the skillet clean, melt the butter over medium heat, then pour in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring gently with a spatula, until eggs are just set and slightly creamy, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Warm the tortillas. Wrap the flour tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds until soft and pliable, or warm them individually in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds per side.
- Assemble the burritos. Lay each tortilla flat. Spoon a portion of scrambled eggs down the center, top with sausage, and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa if desired.
- Roll and serve. Fold in the sides of each tortilla, then roll tightly from the bottom up to form a burrito. Serve immediately, or wrap in foil to keep warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 820mg