Burritos are arguably one of the perfect foods, right up there with pizza. Carefully considered, they can provide a good mix of protein, carbs, vegetables, and dairy. They can also be used for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner, and can be eaten on the go or with others. They can also be optimized for pretty much any situation, but let's talk the basic burritos here.
There are two kinds of wraps: Wraps and tortillas. Corn tortillas of any size should be avoided; they lack the flexibility of the other wraps, and tend to tear when used for wraps of any kind. If you are doing breakfast burritos you can use the smaller flour tortillas, but otherwise keep to the larger ones. Wheat tortillas can obviously be used, and have the bonus of being better for diabetics. In any case, they should be warmed before putting anything on them: Take them in both hands and warp them a little in order to break them apart, and then nuke them for [10x+10] seconds, where x=the number of tortillas used, up to five tortillas at a time (or 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 seconds respectively; any more than five tortillas and it just doesn't work as well).
Breakfast burritos can be relatively simple. For most people this means eggs, cheese, and possibly sour cream. You can also add fried bacon, or sausage cut up in to smaller bits. Another great option is white breakfast gravy, some kind of potatoes, and cheese. Tater tots work out rather well, as do hash browns, and fried potatoes can be used as well. Breakfast burritos do not need to be complicated. Better yet, you can use the smallest tortillas for them and they do really well.
The basic bean and cheese burrito is exactly that: Basic. A scoop of warmed refried beans, some kind of salsa or hot sauce, and a handful of cheese is all you need. If you want, you can add some meat cooked in taco seasoning or hot sauce, like a sloppy joe. You can add a few basic ingredients, but keep in mind that too many and the burrito may not be able to handle them. If you want to do more of wrap, basically do a simple salad in the wrap: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, some sort of salad dressing. You can used breaded fish (yes, this includes fish sticks!) or chicken in the wraps, or get the protein from beans. Just remember to keep it basic and you should be good to go.
The super burrito is only advised if you have a large burrito tortilla. You can do a simpler version on a regular tortilla, but limit your self to about seven ingredients: a protein, refried beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and possibly a little rice. Anything more than that and you will have problems wrapping it. For a super burrito, take all of that and add a few more ingredients, such as black beans, cilantro, and salsa, and increase the amount of the other ingredients. This is designed to be a meal, and remember that closing both ends is mandatory.
Before wrapping it, you can also add peppers of any kind, and salsa or hot sauce should always be considered an option. Nacho cheese should also be debated; it adds some kick to the burrito, but may make it a bit messier than desired. After you wrap it, you can put it on a panini grill or between two heated pans for extra crunch. As for wrapping it, this is simple: Fold the tortilla over the ingredients. Fold the bottom fourth up towards the center, with an option for the top fourth as well; note that this is not a straight fold as you want the bottom fold, at least, to be slightly angled with the lower end towards the center (this helps minimize the mess, especially if you have any liquids). Pull the center mass of the burrito towards you, and then roll.
A burrito should not be something scary. It's a great portable food, and requires no utensils to enjoy. It also takes little time to actually prepare. As usual, experiment to find the best combination for your tastes and purposes. This definitely one case when you may enjoy eating your mistakes!
There are two kinds of wraps: Wraps and tortillas. Corn tortillas of any size should be avoided; they lack the flexibility of the other wraps, and tend to tear when used for wraps of any kind. If you are doing breakfast burritos you can use the smaller flour tortillas, but otherwise keep to the larger ones. Wheat tortillas can obviously be used, and have the bonus of being better for diabetics. In any case, they should be warmed before putting anything on them: Take them in both hands and warp them a little in order to break them apart, and then nuke them for [10x+10] seconds, where x=the number of tortillas used, up to five tortillas at a time (or 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 seconds respectively; any more than five tortillas and it just doesn't work as well).
Breakfast burritos can be relatively simple. For most people this means eggs, cheese, and possibly sour cream. You can also add fried bacon, or sausage cut up in to smaller bits. Another great option is white breakfast gravy, some kind of potatoes, and cheese. Tater tots work out rather well, as do hash browns, and fried potatoes can be used as well. Breakfast burritos do not need to be complicated. Better yet, you can use the smallest tortillas for them and they do really well.
The basic bean and cheese burrito is exactly that: Basic. A scoop of warmed refried beans, some kind of salsa or hot sauce, and a handful of cheese is all you need. If you want, you can add some meat cooked in taco seasoning or hot sauce, like a sloppy joe. You can add a few basic ingredients, but keep in mind that too many and the burrito may not be able to handle them. If you want to do more of wrap, basically do a simple salad in the wrap: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, some sort of salad dressing. You can used breaded fish (yes, this includes fish sticks!) or chicken in the wraps, or get the protein from beans. Just remember to keep it basic and you should be good to go.
The super burrito is only advised if you have a large burrito tortilla. You can do a simpler version on a regular tortilla, but limit your self to about seven ingredients: a protein, refried beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and possibly a little rice. Anything more than that and you will have problems wrapping it. For a super burrito, take all of that and add a few more ingredients, such as black beans, cilantro, and salsa, and increase the amount of the other ingredients. This is designed to be a meal, and remember that closing both ends is mandatory.
Before wrapping it, you can also add peppers of any kind, and salsa or hot sauce should always be considered an option. Nacho cheese should also be debated; it adds some kick to the burrito, but may make it a bit messier than desired. After you wrap it, you can put it on a panini grill or between two heated pans for extra crunch. As for wrapping it, this is simple: Fold the tortilla over the ingredients. Fold the bottom fourth up towards the center, with an option for the top fourth as well; note that this is not a straight fold as you want the bottom fold, at least, to be slightly angled with the lower end towards the center (this helps minimize the mess, especially if you have any liquids). Pull the center mass of the burrito towards you, and then roll.
A burrito should not be something scary. It's a great portable food, and requires no utensils to enjoy. It also takes little time to actually prepare. As usual, experiment to find the best combination for your tastes and purposes. This definitely one case when you may enjoy eating your mistakes!
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