Quesadillas & More..

What you'll need:

Tortillas - medium/small (2 per # of quesadillas)

Shredded Cheese (8 oz. will make about 5)

Meat (optional) *typically chicken

Mexican Rice (packaged)

Refried Beans

Sour Cream

Preheat the oven to 400.

Pour about 2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil into a frying pan on med-high. When it starts to heat up add your meat. I went with chicken but it's also great with just cheese, sliced steak, etc. You can even add some peppers, onions, tomatoes, or other veggies but I didn't have any on hand and I was kind of in a hurry. You can chop the meat into cubes before you begin cooking it if you like. I prefer to cook it most of the way through and then chop it and cook it a little longer (only because raw meat is harder to chop). Season the meat as you like. I used my four favorites: salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder + a little chili powder. On occasion I buy taco seasoning and it makes it even better.

Once the chicken is going prepare the packaged rice as directed. The rice is usually done in about 8-10 minutes and then I put a cover on it if I'm still cooking. The beans are even easier. I buy refried beans (in a can) and spread them about 2 inches thick in a small casserole dish. Then I top with a little shredded cheese and bake for about 10 minutes. The edges will start to bubble and pull away from the side of the dish and you'll know it's done.

Once the rice and beans are cooking I chop my chicken and cook it a little longer to make sure it's completely done. When it is, I set it to the side. Heat a large fry pan (at least as big around as your tortillas) over medium to medium-high. Make sure you have your cheese and chicken close by because this has to be a semi-fast process so the tortillas don't burn.

When the fry pan is hot spray it with pam and lay your first tortilla in it. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the tortilla and then add the meat and any veggies. Sprinkle a little more cheese so the second tortilla will stick together with the first. Press the quesadilla together with the back of your spatula. By lifting the edge just a little and checking to see if it is browning you'll know when it's time to flip. Right before you flip it spray pam on the tortilla (not to much now)...then flip! This is the reason I choose small or medium tortillas. They're much easier to flip. Brown the other side and then move it to a plate or cutting board.

I cut them like slices of pizza, add the rice and beans to the plate, and top with a little sour cream. This meal is a kid favorite!