Serves 2
4 flour tortillas
6 slices pepper jack cheese
1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into think half moons
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Small splash olive oil
Couple of pats of butter
Garnish: sliced avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, salsa, and/or sour cream.
Sauté the peppers and onions in the olive oil over medium heat until just tender, about five minutes. You may have to add a splash of water or two while cooking to keep the vegetables nicely hydrated. Add the beans along with the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine and heat through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble your quesadillas: on two of the tortillas, layer each with two slices of the cheese, top with half of the black bean mixture, and then top with the remaining slice of cheese and the other tortilla.
One at a time, melt a pat of butter in a skillet and gently toast the quesadilla over medium heat until the bottom layer of cheese is melty and the tortilla is golden and slightly crisp.
Flip the quesadilla over and toast it the same way. You may have to sneak a little more butter underneath the second side to get it to toast perfectly.
Remove from heat, cut into quarters and serve with your choice of garnishes.
Fresh Salsa
Makes about a pint
3-4 tomatoes, diced
½ an onion, diced
½ cup chopped a cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup vinegar
Blend ingredients together in a food processor or blender.
To make a quick simple guacamole: mash an avocado with the juice of 1 lemon, a couple of tablespoons of salsa, and salt and pepper to taste.