Boo-rito Bites — Rémy’s Game Day Snack, Evolved

Fall. LSU football. Luc calls from campus on Saturdays now — during the game, breathless, in Tiger Stadium: "DAD, DID YOU SEE THAT PLAY?" I didn't see the play. I'm watching on TV. He's watching in person, in the student section, with 102,000 people, and the sound through the phone is deafening and beautiful and the best evidence I have that my son is alive and happy and exactly where he should be.

Rémy and I watch the games on the couch, the way Luc and I used to. The passing of the couch is a passing of the tradition: the same blanket, the same yelling, the same boudin balls on the coffee table. Rémy argues plays now — he's twelve and has opinions about offensive strategy that he got from YouTube, which is where this generation gets its opinions, and the opinions are occasionally correct, which surprises me and delights him.

Made boudin balls — Rémy's recipe, with the smoked paprika, the evolved version. Colette joined us for the fourth quarter (her standard: she appears when the game gets interesting, which is always the fourth quarter). The couch held three instead of four. The three were enough. The three were whole.

Rémy’s version of game day snacking has always been about putting his own stamp on things — the smoked paprika addition to the boudin balls was his idea, and I’ve learned to trust that instinct. These Boo-rito Bites carry that same spirit: a little unexpected, packed with flavor, and exactly the kind of thing that disappears from the coffee table before the fourth quarter even starts. When it’s just the three of us on the couch now, the food still has to be worthy of the tradition — and these absolutely are.

Boo-rito Bites

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6 (about 24 bites)

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or chorizo
• 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cooked white rice
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• 2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Cooking spray
• Sour cream and salsa, for dipping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Cook the filling. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef or chorizo, breaking it apart as it cooks, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, then stir in taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Mix the filling. Remove from heat. Stir in black beans, cooked rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa until combined. Let cool for 5 minutes.
4. Prepare the dough. Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise so you have smaller triangles to work with.
5. Assemble the bites. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling at the wide end of each dough triangle. Roll the dough up toward the point, tucking the sides in as you go to seal the filling inside. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Egg wash. Brush each bite with beaten egg for a golden finish.
7. Bake. Bake for 14–18 minutes, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Let rest 3–4 minutes before serving.
8. Serve. Arrange on a platter with small bowls of sour cream and salsa for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 370 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg