Monday, November 01, 2010

Taquito Love

To me, the most beautiful thing about MDO/preschool is the ability to grocery shop and fold laundry alone. I may or may not also enjoy pretending to be in the ranks of ladies who lunch. So last Tuesday I drove my little beloveds to school and, having no fancy morning plans, I made a beeline for the HEB.

I had breakfast tacos in mind for dinner, so the first thing I did was go to the bakery and look for the fresh tortillas. They are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Sadly, there was only a small stack of wheat ones. I've actually tried them with tacos before and didn't care for them. Nope! I wanted plain ole wonderful white flour. I could see the ladies rolling the dough into balls, so I had high hopes that I would leave the store with my treasure in hand. I went up and down every aisle like a good little shopper and then revisited the bakery before checking out. Behold, a big stack of fresh tortillas was waiting for me! They were still hot and the bag was steamy. It was all I could do to wait until I got home to eat one.

That night I got started on the breakfast taco feast. I had potatoes o'brien or whatever they're called, breakfast sausage, cheese, and eggs. I thought there may be an actual recipe in my Pioneer Woman cookbook and sure enough, there was. Eventually we sat down to eat and I was just so pleased with myself and my fresh tortillas. I mean, they totally scored me some Proverbs 31 points. Plus, anytime I open a cookbook I feel like I'm every woman.

But something was missing. My first breakfast taco left something to be desired. I thought it might need some spice, so I put salsa verde on the second one. It was a no go. By then I knew what the problem was. I just didn't want to give in to the simple, brutish taste developed in me after years of eating taquitos at Whataburger between the magical hours of 11 PM and 11 AM!

It was do or die, people. Eat a third and do it up right, or mourn what could have been.

You know where this is going. I went to the fridge and got a slice of processed cheese. I unwrapped it, put it on a tortilla, and spooned the egg filling on top of it. Then, I put a bit of red salsa on it as a shout out to the little picante packets from Whataburger. Finally, please don't hate me, I nuked it in the microwave to melt the cheese.

Noooooooo! I'm so unsophisticated!

When you bite into a breakfast taquito and the cheese has become one with the tortilla...and the picante drips down your arm...and the sausage and eggs are having a party...it is not too good to be true. All is right in your world for those three minutes.

Truth be told, I'm not fancy. I'm not sophisticated. I'm not a lady who lunches. But I can make a phenomenal Whataburger taquito. And since we're being honest, I can also make a mean Egg McMuffin.



33 comments:

Angie said...

This post is awesome! I read often but rarely comment...but I just had to say this post is so great!

And as a Texas girl I have to say I feel so sorry for those in other states who don't know Whataburger or taquitos!

The Johnsons said...

So I might just be going to Whataburger tomorrow morning. Is it wrong to order a Dr. Pepper with that, too? Thanks for the craving.

Erin said...

That second to last paragraph actually sounds like a whataburger commercial. You should send it to them.

Angela said...

You go girl!
Laughing.....

Lindsee Lou said...

I just laughed so hard. This took me back to college when the only thing open after 10:00 was Whataburger. This meant Taquito's! Also, would you please show me how to make a an Egg McMuffin? Pretty please?

Colleen said...

From another unsophisticated mom, Congratulations on your whataburger taquito! I am certain that if there had been a Whataburger to emulate when Soloman's mom taught him that poem, she would have included "she remembers the cheese and adds picante to her taquitos".

Whatawoman!

JESSICA said...

I SO thought you were headed to the fridge for KETCHUP! My taquitos usually have the processed cheese in them already. They used to run out of picante sauce at the Whataburger I frequented in Lubbock during my college years, but they always had plenty of ketchup. You do what you have to do, right?
The best part was when they ran out of potatoes, they would add french fries. Nice, huh? Good times.

PW's taquitos are SO yummy. We make those for dinner quite often.

Jen said...

Love it! Don't have a Whataburger in MN but sound delicious.

margie said...

I mean this in the best possible, sisterly kind of way...you're such a goob! That was hilarious. And isn't Pioneer Woman the best? And mainly because she is completely unashamed to throw a little comfort food into the mix and roll with it. All I could think of while reading this was last Friday night when I made kraft mac n cheese and shake n bake chicken for supper. Hubs came home and said, "Seriously? I love this stuff!" Ahh, the joys of letting it all go. Glad you enjoyed your processed cheese. :-)

Ps- my former comment handle was campbell6...we're on the road and googlin it with android so now I'm pipelinersgirl...makes me sound either bad to the bone or ridiculous! But it's true...I am his girl. Have a nice week Amanda.

Mommarazzi said...

I.LOVE.WHATABURGER.
Three years ago when I was pregnant with my Jackson, they built one exactly one minute from my house. Dangerous!
I miss those old school picante containers.

Marc and Charity said...

Those sound yummy but we can't get sausage hear- like the good flavored kind there. I tried buying some mince sausage and seasoning it myself and it was a no go. :)

Tara G. said...

Our tradition is to have breakfast burritos every Saturday morning- and then it evolved into every Sunday, night, too. Thankfully, I am able to special order corn tortillas (we need the non-gluten) and we can still continue at least once a week!

Jessica said...

Just reading about Whataburger taquitos makes my mouth water!!

I might just have to swing by there today....

Dedra@dfw said...

you are a "foodie" Amanda! I love your honesty. BTW... You needed to have called Jackson the "blind shark" Almost every picture it looked like the top of the sharks teeth got into his eyes. Did that drive him crazy or not? It would have me! They looked darling.

Unknown said...

You crack me up! Thanks for making me hungry, friend!

Molly said...

That is a perfect breakfast burrito pic...like they have velcro fastening them!

Sounds like a good time!

Kelli said...

My husband introduced me to the Whataburger breakfast taquito when I was pregnant with our first child. There is absolutely nothing as delicious to a pregnant lady as a tortilla filled with breakfast goodness. Except maybe a Chick-fila chicken biscuit (which I ate for breakfast several times a week during that same pregnancy). It's a wonder I didn't gain 200 pounds in those 9 months.

Dionna said...

I love it. Although I've never eaten at a Whataburger (we don't have those here) I do know life as a simple, unsophisticated woman. And I like it. :)

Becky Kiser said...

that's hilarious. and could you please share the egg macmuffin recipe? oh wait don't. i'm pretty sure that doesn't fit into the allotted WW points each day.

FitzandMolly said...

share the love, and tell me about your egg mc muffins! i love them!

Beth said...

I'm not any of those things either, Sweetheart! And I can't even MAKE a Whataburger Taquito...but I can sure eat me one. Seems like I've eaten one or two with you.

Kara Akins said...

What fun you're having w/ your family. The food looks delish and the kids are adorable. Absolutely adorable.

Thanks for sharing your day to day w/ a bunch of strangers. I am always encouraged by your example, honesty and passion.

Shelli Littleton said...

I DO know Whataburger! But I fell in love with another. :) You have a Rudy's ... they have the best breakfast burritos. We go every Saturday morning (we pick up donuts for the girls). I love mine with just chopped briscuit and potatoes ... their salsa on that burrito, grease dripping down ... no words to describe it, Amanda!

Karen said...

Yum! Sounds perfect to me! I would have went for the cheese too! :)

Erica said...

That is awesome! Breakfast tacos are my choice when we play the game "What one food could you eat solely for an entire month." LOVE Whataburger!!! Missed it greatly in FL! Might have to make a stop there tomorrow!

Kelly said...

I think sophistication must be over rated anyway:-)

Sounds yummy to me, and I haven't even ever been to a Whataburger!

Kendra said...

You make me laugh. About 1/2 way through I started reading out loud to my hubby but I could barely talk through cracking up :) I've said it before but you're a talented writer Amanda - your sense of humor comes through so well. Thanks for the laugh :)

Kelli said...

This made me smile... and crave taquitos.

Bonky's Mom said...

Ha Ha! I love it! We had many-a-taquito during those same late night study hours...or just 'you're up too late and are hungry again' hours. : )

Jamie said...

What an awesome post!

Kristie said...

So. Much. Win. Give Him some glory for the wonder that is the Whataburger taquito! :)

Bridget said...

love egg mcmuffins and the title of your blog!

Shellie Paparazzo said...

Who needs sophistication! I prefer Mac and cheese out of a box! Okay, it doesn't taste that great, but with my cooking it's not going to get any better anyway, so why take the time and stress myself out and get cranky with the kids and all of that. Their sweet little souls are way more important anyway!