Chicken Ranchiladas

The Recipe: Swiped from here. We changed the name and I added a few ingredients.

What You Need:
4 large chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 packet ranch mix
4 10-inch tortillas
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel sweet corn
about 2 C shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
about 1 C ranch dressing

Your Turn:
Place chicken in crockpot. Dump in taco mix and ranch mix on top of chicken. Cook on low 8 hours or more.

Shred chicken with two forks, and remove from crock pot.

Drain and rinse black beans and corn. 

In the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, place two tortillas.

Top with half of the shredded chicken.

Top with 1 C shredded cheese, about 1/2 C ranch dressing, and the beans and corn.

Add another layer of tortillas.

For both the first layer, and the second layer, I like to tear them in half and lay them like this. You get better coverage.

Top with remaining chicken, followed by another 1/2 C ranch dressing, and the remaining 1 C shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Serve with Mexican Rice!

Grilled Teriyaki Sesame Chicken

The Occasion: Husband does the grilling around here, although he prefers to grill burgers rather than chicken. But I thought having him make this would be an easy way to get out of making a dinner this week. Ha.

The Recipe: From Betty Crocker's 2009 Annual Recipes cookbook.

How it Went: I was quite pleasantly surprised with how this turned out. I really wasn't sure how it would work, but it was very flavorful! I will make this again for sure. I guess it mostly had to do with how Husby grilled the chicken, but I like to think I contributed.

What You Need:
1 T sesame seeds
2 T teriyaki sauce or marinade
1 tsp ground ginger
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 lb angel hair pasta

Your Turn:
I was lucky for this meal because I had leftover angel hair, already cooked, from a meal earlier in the week. If you're not so lucky, boil about 1/2 a lb of angel hair pasta. Toss it with a bit of soft butter when it's cooked, to keep it from sticking.

For grilling chicken, I find it easiest to slice the breasts lengthwise, like a hamburger bun, to make them thinner. This allows them to cook more quickly and with greater chance of being done all the way through. It's actually very easy to cut chicken breasts in this way if they are partially frozen. I took my package of chicken out of the freezer in the morning, stuck it in the fridge, and then did a quick defrost in the microwave when I got home from work. This softened it enough that it was no longer frozen solid, but it was still firm enough to cut easily.

In a small bowl, pour 2 T teriyaki sauce (I used a 30-minute marinade) and add 1 tsp ground ginger.

Toast 1 T of sesame seeds in small skillet over medium heat. It won't take long at all, and they burn much sooner than you'd expect so don't walk away and leave them unattended. When they just barely start to brown, they're ready. Toss them in with the teriyaki sauce and ginger and mix well.

Put vegetable oil on a paper towel and wipe over grill rack. Then place the chicken breasts (or halves of breasts, really) on the rack. I slathered them with some additional teriyaki sauce first, smeared it around on them in a large ziploc bag. You can do that, or not. Once they're on the grill, brush them with the teriyaki sauce mixture you made.

Grill about 5 minutes, then rotate 45 degrees to create some pretty grill lines. Grill 5 more minutes in this position, then flip. Brush the second side with the sauce. Grill 5 minutes in this position, then rotate 45 degrees and grill another 5 minutes. Check periodically for burning. About 20 minutes total should do the trick, but slice through the thickest piece and make sure it's no longer pink inside if you want to be sure they're done.

Discard remaining sauce mixture.

Serve with hot angel hair pasta and a veggie. Fresh green beans from a friend's garden were perfect with this summery dinner! Husby liked soy sauce on his pasta.

Penne with Basil Rosa Sauce and Bacon

The Occasion: It was Saturday night, a night I don't normally cook an organized meal. I had no plan and we were both hungry; I needed an easy meal with ingredients I already had. 

The Recipe: Pasta is a no-brainer for a night like this. I had some penne and some twirly egg noodles. It's probably frowned upon by real pasta eaters, but I blended the two. (Don't tell.) I didn't have a jar of tomato or alfredo sauce, so homemade sauce was a necessity. I wanted to make rosa sauce, something I'd first tried and loved at our favorite Italian restaurant (Giovanni's in Spring City). I found this recipe for penne with rosa sauce and used it as a springboard to create my own sauce. When I served it at the kitchen table, Husband remembered we had some cooked bacon in the fridge. He got it out and we added it to the pasta. It was this spontaneous ingredient, this last-minute addition that made the most significant difference in this meal.

How it Went: I didn't have extremely high hopes for this. It was pretty much made up and although I knew it would be edible, I doubted that it would be exceptionally tasty. To my surprise, Husby and I both loved this! The bacon, as I've said, was the key ingredient. So Husband gets 100% credit on this one. It was fabulous: a perfect blend of flavors. This might even be the central character on the table at our dinner party next weekend.

What You Need:
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 and 1/2 C milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 slice provolone cheese
grated Parmesan cheese (the kind in the shaky bottle)
6-8 leaves fresh basil
1 box (1 lb) penne pasta
6 (or more) slices cooked bacon

Your Turn:
Cook 1 lb of penne. When it's done, toss in some olive oil or butter to keep it from sticking.

Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut 6-8 fresh basil leaves into small pieces. You'll need these later, so set them aside.

Melt 3 T butter in a large saucepan.

Whisk in 3 T flour when the butter is melted.

When smooth, add 1 and 1/2 C milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Simmer over low heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens.

Now, tear up your slice of provolone cheese and add the pieces, while whisking to allow them to melt in. Shake a few shakes of Parmesan cheese in.

Dump 1 can of Italian diced tomatoes into your blender and give it a few whizzes. Add the processed tomatoes to the sauce.

Now, carefully stir in your basil leaves.

Serve sauce over penne with crumbled bacon on top. Add additional Parmesan cheese on top.

Chicken Salad

The Occasion: Various. I love making this. It's easy and perfect to keep in the fridge for lunch all week. It's especially wonderful on homemade bread.

The Recipe: Improvised

How it Went: Don't be afraid to do this your own way. It's not a science. I usually eyeball it and it comes out fine.

What You Need:
3-4 C cooked chicken (about 2 breasts)
1 C pecan halves
2 C grapes
4 stalks celery, ends chopped off
ranch dressing
mayonnaise

Your Turn:
Cook 2 chicken breasts (or more). Again, my favorite way is in the crock pot. Cook it all day with some mixed herbs (basil, pepper, thyme) just enough broth to cover it. When it's done, while it's still warm, put it immediately in a large stand-up mixer and turn it on low for just a few passes of the paddle. The chicken will be perfectly shredded. (I describe this on my recipe for chicken pot pie.)

Wash the 1 C grapes. Quarter each one into tiny wedges.

Wash the 4 stalks celery. Cut each stalk lengthwise into three or four strips, then dice each strip into small pieces.

Even a little smaller than this would be good.

Heat a small skillet over low heat until warm. Toss in 1 C pecan halves. Let them roast a few minutes, then stir with a wooden spoon and roast a few more minutes, just until you hear them sizzle or smell that wonderful roasted nut aroma. When they're done, dump them onto a paper towel to cool for a few minutes, then chop them small.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

• shredded chicken
• quartered grapes
• diced celery
• chopped pecans

Now add:

• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 3/4 C ranch dressing

These are approximate, so go light at first, then add more as you need it. If you prefer a more mayo-y chicken salad, you might like to use less ranch dressing. I think the ranch makes it so flavorful!

Serve on homemade white bread, 12-grain bread, soft rolls, or eat plain.

Suggestions for adaptations:

• add diced water chestnuts
• use slivered almonds instead of the pecans
• try another kind of dressing, maybe sweet vidalia onion or caesar?

Be adventurous and let me know what you think!

Taco Salad

The Occasion: I had salsa and sour cream leftover from something else. Taco Salad was a perfect use for these things.

The Recipe: Improvised.

How it Went: This is always a smash hit. We love it.

What You Need:
ground turkey (1 lb)
1 packet taco seasoning
lettuce
tortilla chips
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 yellow onion
1 can black olives
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

Your Turn:
Cook ground turkey. Add taco seasoning as directed on packet.

In the meantime, shred up lettuce and prepare a bowl of tortilla chips.

Prepare a plate of chopped peppers, onion, and olives along with cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Serve meat hot over a bed of lettuce with desired toppings.

Enjoy!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

The Occasion: I just wanted to make something special to add some flair to a Monday night dinner. This is also awesome for any occasion you can think of. Pot lucks, picnics, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthday dinners… I’d even have served this at my wedding if I’d known about it then.

The Recipe: From Taste of Home’s 2011 Annual Recipes book

How it Went: Great! I put in too much nutmeg by accident, but it was still fine.

What You Need:

4 C spiral pasta (cavatappi)

1/4 C butter

1/4 C flour

4 C milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Dash nutmeg

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1 C cubed Velveeta cheese product

Your Turn:
Cook pasta according to box’s directions.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 C butter. 

Stir in 1/4 C flour until smooth.

Gradually add 4 C milk, stirring. Then stir in

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1/4 tsp pepper

· 1/4 tsp ground mustard

· 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

· Dash nutmeg

Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in

· 2 C shredded cheddar cheese

· 1 C cubed Velveeta

Drain pasta. Stir cheese mixture and pasta together. Transfer to an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly. 

Peach-Berry Cobbler

About the Recipe: The potential issue with this cobbler, if you're not careful, is a mushy center. You really have to bake it a good long time. I've made it often with frozen fruit, but it's more risky. Fresh fruit is less likely to create excess liquid to cause mush.

What You Need:

1 stick of butter

1 & 1/2 C flour

1 & 1/2 C sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 & 1/2 C milk

about 2 1/2 C blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2-3 whole peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced (or 2 C frozen peach slices)

Your Turn:
Place the stick of butter in a 9x13 casserole dish and melt in the oven at 350. Yes, a whole stick of butter. Don’t think about it too much. 

While it’s melting, whisk together

· 1 & 1/2 C flour

· 1 & 1/2 C sugar

· 2 tsp baking powder

· 1/2 tsp salt

Add 1 & 1/2 C milk and whisk to form batter.

Pour batter into dish over melted butter. I try to pour it in near the edges for a more even batter/butter distribution. Otherwise the butter pools in the corners as you pour the batter into the center.

Scatter fruit over top.

Sprinkle sugar over the top. Bake 60-70 minutes at 350 until batter is brown and fruit is bubbly. You don’t want it to jiggle. If you shake the dish and the middle looks jiggly, put it back in. Cover with foil if the top is getting too dark. Let sit uncovered for about 30 minutes before serving.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

The Date: 25 January 2012

The Occasion: Just wanted to make this old favorite of Husband's.

The Recipe: From my mother-in-law, just slightly tweaked.

How it Went:
We love this tasty, comfort food casserole. Yumm!

What You Need:
broccoli
cooked chicken
rice
flour
butter
milk
chicken broth
mayonnaise
lemon juice
cheddar cheese
bread crumbs

Your Turn:
You'll need 2 C of cooked chicken, so get this prepared ahead of time, if you can. If not, slice up a few chicken breasts and bake them in the oven for a half hour or so until they're cooked through. Then cut or shred. (FYI: That Pinterest trick of putting just-cooked, still-warm chicken breasts in your KitchenAid stand mixer and turning it on low totally DOES work to shred chicken!)

You'll also need 2-3 C cooked rice. So go ahead and prepare this too.

Now, cut up two medium sized broccoli crowns into pieces (about 2&1/2 - 3 C).

Boil about an inch of water in a saucepan. Add the broccoli and steam for about 10 minutes, until tender. Then arrange in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Now, your rice should be cooked, so add the chicken to the rice and mix well. Add some salt and pepper, and various herbs if you wish. Mine was kind of a homogeneous mixture because I used chicken that I'd cooked in the crock pot a few days ago so it was fall-apart-tender and mixed smoothly with the rice.

Arrange this chicken and rice mixture over top of the broccoli.

In the saucepan you just took the broccoli from (I'm all about creating as few dishes to wash as possible), melt 4 T of butter. Slowly add 6 T of flour, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. Remove from the heat and slowly add 1 C of milk and 1 C chicken broth, stirring constantly. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, then cook while stirring until it thickens. Remove from heat.

To this mixture, add 1/2 C mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and stir well.

Pour this over the chicken and rice.

Sprinkle with 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese.

Melt 1 T butter and stir in 4 T dry breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this over the top as well.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until top is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

The Date: 16 January 2012, with half eaten as leftovers tonight

The Occasion: This is a favorite recipe. Husband had asked for more casseroles, instead of the soups I'd become accustomed to making twice or more a week. So I whipped out this favorite.

The Recipe: From Husband's mom, photocopied from Reminisce magazine, I think.

How it Went:
I liked how I did the chicken this time. I've done it a few ways (most often, chopped it small, then sauteed it on the stove), but this was by far the most successful and tasty. It was also the easiest. In the morning, I put about 2 lb of chicken breasts in the crock pot with 2 cups of chicken broth and some herbs. It cooked all day, and by the time I got home, I just had to poke at it with a fork and it fell apart in perfect shreds. Mmmm. I was also then able to use that broth in the recipe and it was much more flavorful than it would have been otherwise, right out of a can or something. And I had extra chicken and broth which I saved for another meal.

I do this dish a bit differently from the recipe in a few respects. First, I don't use a can of cream of chicken soup. I make my own. Those instructions are included below. Second, I don't saute the celery first, as suggested. This is unnecessary. Also, I find this to be a perfect dish for which to use celery that is a bit past its prime. When I've bought it for salad or stir fry or something and then not used it all. This is perfect because it will be baked anyway, and its crunch factor is just slightly lowered. I also use half an onion instead of the recipe-suggested 2 tablespoons. Two tablespoons? You wouldn't even taste that!

What You Need:
chicken
rice
celery
onion
butter
flour
milk
chicken broth
mayonnaise
water chestnuts
almonds
corn flakes

Your Turn:
You need to start with 2 C of cooked chicken.
Get it cooked however you prefer, but I suggest crock-potting it all day and using it in that shredded form. It's better for the casserole than cubes of chicken cooked in a skillet. 

Cook 2 C water with 1 C rice to get 3 C cooked rice.

Time to chop your crunchy things!

Chop up

• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• about 3 stalks of celery
• 1 (8 oz) can of sliced water chestnuts

Blend these in a large bowl. Add about a 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper.

Now, in a medium saucepan, melt 3 T butter. Add 3 T flour, one at a time, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 C milk and 1/2 C chicken broth, stirring constantly, until smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Stir constantly until it thickens. Add a few pinches each of salt and pepper. (My version was extra flavorful since I used the broth that had been cooking with the chicken and herbs all day.)

Add this, along with the rice and chicken and 3/4 C mayonnaise, to the mixing bowl.

Toss in 1/2 C sliced almonds.

Stir to mix well. 

Spoon into a casserole dish. 

For the topping, melt 2 T butter in a small bowl. Add 1/2 C crushed cornflakes and stir well. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. If you forgot to buy cornflakes, like I did, just add extra almonds on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy with a salad or fresh fruit!

Tortilla Soup

The Date: 4 January 2012

The Occasion: Love this super-easy soup for a cold night. I had only made it once, and I wanted to do it again.

The Recipe: From Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade 20-Minute Meals cookbook.

How it Went:
This soup is so easy to make and Husband and I love it so much that he suggested I keep the ingredients for it on hand at all times. It's great with grilled cheese, although this time I added chicken to the soup, so that made it hearty enough to stand alone. It's great for when you have a cold - clears those nasal passages right out - and I think it'd be as excellent in the summer as it is in the winter. A soup for all seasons. Mmm.

What You Need:
olive oil
onion
minced, dried garlic
chicken broth
tomato soup
milk
salsa
diced tomatoes with green chiles
frozen corn
tortilla chips
fresh cilantro
cheese (pepper jack is best, but extra sharp white cheddar works too)
cooked, shredded chicken (optional)

Your Turn:
In your soup pot, saute 1 C finely chopped red or yellow onion in 1 T olive oil. Add a few shakes of minced garlic.

Cook about 5 minutes until onion is soft.

Add

• 4 C (32 oz) chicken broth
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 T milk
• 2 T salsa
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 C frozen, whole-kernel corn
• 1/2 C tortilla chips, crushed
• cooked, shredded chicken (optional)

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve each bowlful with chopped fresh cilantro, shredded or crumbled pepper jack cheese (extra sharp white cheddar works too), and additional crushed tortilla chips. These toppings are essential to this soup. Don't get lazy and omit them, or you will not be doing justice to this fabulous soup.

TIP: Unless you grow your own, you will probably buy an entire bunch of cilantro. But you'll only need to chop up a few stalks for this soup. The rest will keep for a while in your fridge if you store it properly. First, pull out any stalks with withered or soft leaves. Do not rinse the entire bunch. Then, prop up the bunch in a cup of water. (I usually use a glass jar so I can see when the water gets cloudy, but I didn't have one that would accommodate this large bunch of cilantro.) Then loosely cover the top of the bunch with a plastic bag. When you see the water getting cloudy, just dump it out and refill the cup or jar. When you're ready to use cilantro, just pull out a few stalks, rinse, chop, and eat! You can use the cilantro for well over a week when you store it this way.

Stove Top Lasagna

The Date: 14 November 2011

The Occasion: Quick Monday night meal. Love this go-to favorite!

The Recipe: A Betty Crocker recipe I've adapted from this book.

How it Went:
This is pretty much a no-fail meal. I had only a little Italian dressing in the fridge (who knew you could run out of that stuff!?) so it lacked the full flavor it usually has. But you really can't do this meal wrong. Yum!

What You Need:
ground beef or turkey
onion
green bell pepper
tomato sauce
Italian dressing
malfada pasta

Your Turn:
Chop one smallish onion and one green bell pepper.

Brown 1 lb of ground meat in a large skillet. Add onions and peppers to cook with the meat.

Drain grease from meat when cooked.

Add to skillet

• 1 and 2/3 cups water
• 1 jar tomato sauce (I use Francesco Rinaldi, Three Cheese)
• 3 cups malfada noodles
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing

Bring to a boil. Then turn to medium-low and let simmer about 15 minutes, stirring every so often until noodles are tender.

I failed to take a picture of this meal myself. This pic is from bettycrocker.com

Mom's Cream of Cauliflower Soup

The Date: 1 November 2011

The Occasion: I bought cauliflower on a whim when I saw it at ALDI and figured I'd find a time to make this childhood favorite. Tonight worked because Pete's not a huge vegetable fan, and since he ended up finally catching my flu, all I made for him was a can of condensed Chicken and Rice Soup. Poor Husby. So I whipped up some Cauliflower Soup for me.

The Recipe: Mom's (via a seven-line email. Yep, it's that easy.)

How it Went:
My food processor recently went kaput. Went to process some walnuts the other day, dumped them in, pushed the button, and... nothing. I have put a new one on my birthday list. Since this recipe calls for finely processed cauliflower, I used my blender. This worked, but was not ideal. I could only blend 4 or 5 florets at a time, and then had to scrape the processed cauliflower out from around the blades with a spatula.
Also, I somehow missed (in the seven-line email) the instruction to cook the cauliflower "until very tender." I dumped the cauliflower and broth together, let it get hot enough to become bubbly, made the roux, added it in, and then served myself a bowl. While it was certainly edible, it did not taste like Mom's. Gotta let that cauliflower cook down. Oops. I dumped it back in and let the whole thing cook for another 20 minutes.

What You Need:
cauliflower
chicken or vegetable broth
butter
flour
milk
Perfect Pinch
black pepper

Your Turn:

Cauliflower confetti

Chop one head of cauliflower into small florets, then chop fine in a food processor. You're going for cauliflower confetti.

Dump cauliflower into a large soup pot.

Add just enough chicken or vegetable broth to cover the cauliflower (about 2 cups broth). Add a few dashes of Perfect Pinch and black pepper.

Now, cook 15-20 minutes until cauliflower is tender.

Make a roux by melting 3 T of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then adding 3 T of flour. Stir well while it bubbles. Add 1 C of milk (or a little more if you like your soup less thick) and whisk continuously until it thickens.

Add the roux to the cauliflower. Stir.

You can let it simmer a bit longer, or serve immediately. I remember Mom serving it with some shredded cheese on top, but it's good without it too.

Mmm...

Want the seven-line version?

chop the cauliflower fine in a food processor

cook it in chicken broth until very tender (just enough broth to cover it)

add some perfect pinch too  

make a roux using melted butter and flour, maybe 3 tablespoons of each

add about a cup of milk or maybe 2 cups whisking the whole time as it thickens

mix it into the cauliflower mixture

now you have soup

Pasta Primavera

The Recipe: An original, inspired by similar recipes.

Tips: This is great with cooked chicken but equally good meatless. Don't overcook the veggies, especially the zucchini. This dish is peppery, filling, and despite the butter and pasta, it still manages to be healthy, chock-full of colorful vegetables.

What You Need:
1 crown broccoli
1-2 small zucchini
2 red and/or yellow bell pepper
1/2 C snow peas
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 C half & half (or whole milk)
3 T flour
black pepper
salt
cooked angel hair or linguine 
optional: cooked chicken

Your Turn:
Chop up:
- 1 crown broccoli (about 1 cup chopped florets)
- half each of a yellow and a red pepper into fork-sized pieces (about 1/2 inch wide, 1 inch long)
- 1 - 2 small zucchini.

Melt 1/4 C butter in a large skillet. Add the chopped veggies along with 1/2 cup of snow peas. Sprinkle with a generous dash of black pepper and a pinch or two of salt.

This would be a good time to start your pasta cooking. 

Pour 1 1/2 cup of half & half (or whole milk) into a bowl or glass measuring cup. Add 3 tablespoons of flour. Microwave about 35 seconds, until warm. Whisk with a fork.

When the vegetables are crisp-tender, (add the cooked chicken to the skillet, if you've opted to add that, then) pour milk mixture over them and cook briefly until slightly reduced.

Serve over pasta with garlic bread.

Chunky Applesauce

The Date: 25 October 2011

The Occasion: Home sick with a bad cold. I had some apples that I thought might be better as sauce, and a recipe I'd been wanting to try. Perfect combination to make some homemade applesauce.

The Recipe: From Taste of Home magazine.

How it Went: Perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing. It was incredibly easy and absolutely delightful. The only thing I'd do is make a bigger batch.

What You Need:
apples
brown sugar
cinnamon
vanilla

Your Turn:
Peel and cube apples. You need 8 cups of cubed apples.

Stir apples in large soup pot with 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp of vanilla. Mash well.

Serve warm or cold.

The best medicine.

Quesadillas

The Date: 31 August 2011

The Occasion: I had a little leftover cooked ground turkey and a little leftover cooked shredded chicken from two other recent dishes. I thought quesadillas might be a fun way to use up the meat.

The Recipe: SimplyRecipes.com

How it went:
The recipe looked easy enough. Heat a tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese, meat, and veggies. Steam 'til it melts. Fold in half. Eat. And it really was just that easy. It was easy, though, because I had the meat already cooked, just waiting to be used. It would be a pain to have to cook that first. We loved these. Next time, I'd definitely make it for guests. Quesadillas are fun and this was so simple and low-stress that it would be a perfect party meal. I made way too many this time, but they actually did really well as leftovers. I wrapped each one in aluminum foil and refrigerated them. The next day, I took one to work, unwrapped it, put it on a plate, covered it with a paper towel, and stuck it in the microwave and it was delicious. Don't forget a little container of sour cream!

Your turn:
Heat frying pan (I used 10-inch because I was using the smaller sized tortillas). Melt a little butter (slice off about half a centimeter from the stick) in the bottom of the pan.
Place a tortilla in the pan and flip every 10 seconds until it starts to bubble with air pockets.
Sprinkle with shredded Mexican cheese and any of the following:

• chopped bell peppers
• quartered olives
• black beans
• slivered red or yellow onions
• corn (steam frozen corn for a few minutes)
• tomatoes or salsa
• mushrooms
• fresh cilantro
• shredded chicken
• ground beef or turkey

Reduce heat and cover until the cheese melts (1-2 minutes).
Flip one side over on the other, forming a half circle.
If browned sufficiently (if not, wait until it is, then), remove from heat and transfer to cookie sheet in cool (250ish) oven to keep warm until all quesadillas are done and ready to serve.
Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream.