Morning Time Breakfast Burritos

My husband is turning the big 4-0 this year and I’m only a couple years behind.  His inevitable journey over the hill has me thinking about all the fun side effects that come along with aging.  Things like your pants suddenly shrinking when you’re not looking.  I’ve been told it’s due to a slowing metabolism but I believe it has more to do with those pesky little pant trolls that sneak into your house while you’re sleeping and hem them down a size smaller for twigs and giggles.  Ok, a stretch I know, but dang if I’m going to give up dessert simply because of my age.  So the trolls it is.

And then of course, there’s the memory loss.  You wouldn’t believe the things I forget.  I swear, I’ll get up to grab a glass of water, walk over to the kitchen and stand there, completely dumbfounded as to why I even made the journey.  Yep, it’s that bad.   The other day I was shopping at the grocery store for a few items.  I brought my wallet inside, put it in the basket along with my groceries, promptly forgot said wallet was there, left my basket in the store while I went back to my car to find the wallet (which of course wasn’t there) and proceeded to drive home to look for it after not finding it.  Thank God someone with more brains than me made a conscious effort to turn it in.  Talk about embarrassing.

The good news about aging is that as we get older, we learn to appreciate our days a bit more and celebrate the people who share them with us.  As a result, we understand better what is precious in life and worry less about the things that simply don’t matter.  Age may make us a bit wider around the hips and a bit more forgetful  up above,  but I certainly wouldn’t change one minute of it for anything.

And in case you’re wondering how all of this babble ties back in to the breakfast burritos pictured above?  Well, I would tell you but dang if I can’t remember.  Let’s just get on with the recipe shall we?

Begin by frying up a few potatoes along with a handful of onions and the obligatory garlic.

Let them cook through until soft.  Now add in a little cumin, some beans, chiles and cilantro.   Nothing like a little Mexican goodness to recharge the memory cells.

Scramble up a few eggs, toss in a little cooked bacon and get ready to call it a wrap.  I used whole wheat tortillas for a little extra brain food, but feel free to use any flavor that moves you.

Add in a scoop of the potatoes, a forkful or three of the eggs and, of course, a sprinkling of cheese.

Close it up and make a decision; now or later.  If now, place them in an oven safe dish, top with a little salsa, a bit more cheese and cook until bubbly and hot.  If later, wrap in foil, place in a freezer bag and chill until you’re ready to eat.

Either way, you’re guaranteed a breakfast to remember.  Now, if I could just recall where I left my car keys…

Morning Time Breakfast Burritos

Yield: 4-5 Burritos depending on heavily you stuff them

Total Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped
11/2 Cups Cubed Potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 Cup Black Beans
1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1 Tbsp Diced Green Chilies
Salt and Pepper to Taste
4 Eggs
4 Slices Cooked Bacon, Chopped
4 Oz. Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
4 Tortillas

Directions:

Heat up large frying pan on medium heat and add in the olive oil.

When the oil is hot, drop in the garlic and onions and allow them to heat up for a minute or two.

Add in the potatoes and let cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the potatoes are soft, add in the cumin, beans, cilantro and chiles.

Season with salt and pepper, let it heat through for a minute and then remove from heat.

Scramble up the eggs with a splash of milk and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the chopped bacon into the eggs and remove from the heat.

To assemble add a hearty spoonful of the potatoes, then the eggs and sprinkle with cheese. Wrap into burritos.

For immediate serving, place in an oven safe dish, top with your favorite salsa (mixed with a dollop of sour cream if desired) and an additional sprinkle of cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 5 to 10 minutes until melted through.

To freeze for later, wrap burritos in aluminum foil and store in a freezer bag until ready to heat.

To reheat, remove from the foil and place in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, guaco or any other tasty condiment of your choosing.