Claire's "Famous" Quesadillas

Yep --here they are.  If you know me, you have munched on these delectable eats.  I serve them at parties as appetizers, in kid lunches, at PTA meetings, or any time I want a quick & healthy meal.  Here I have shown them with chicken, black beans, sweet potato, and jack & cheddar cheeses.  I also use fresh white corn, roasted butternut squash, pork carnitas, beef ...you get the idea.  ALSO....a friend said that she would love to have "figure-friendly" food.  These are really healthy as is but they could be made without the cheese --the sweet potato will hold the ingredients in the tortilla.  Whole wheat tortillas are an excellent substitution!

Claire's Quesadillas
This makes 24 quesadillas!  This recipe can easily be cut in half  or can be doubled.

2 chicken cutlets (this is 2 chix breast, each piece cut almost in half and opened like a book)
Chicken cutlets are available at all grocery stores --just saves you a little time and cuts cooking time in half
1 15oz can black beans (see my pantry links for my favs), drained, rinsed, and dried with paper towel
8oz monterey jack cheese, grated
8oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 sweet potatoes (not yams) roasted, cooled slightly, peeled, mashed
4 packages of Whole Foods organic tortillas (6 per pack)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 limes
cilantro and sour cream for serving with quesadillas

Turn oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet and roast in over for about 45 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting:  cook chix, drain beans, and shred cheese see steps below.

1.  salt and pepper your chix and heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in pan (med heat)

2. add a teaspoon of butter to hot oil and let chix cook for 3 minutes

3.turn chix over (see a little nice carmelization) cover and cook for another 3 minutes

4. remove from heat and squeeze half lime over chix and cover again and let sit/cool for 5 mins

5. while chix is resting, rinse and drain black beans, then remove chix to board for slicing

6. squeeze other half of lime over sliced chix and pour any pan juices over sliced chix

7. shred the cheeses and remove sweet potato from oven and scoop out

8. mash sweet potato (can be done with fork very easily)  add a little salt and teaspoon butter

9. lay out your tortillas and add filling (note that these are not "full") just a little in each.  I don't put any cheddar in those with the sweet potato (just jack with those).

10. fold tortilla over filling and spread a little butter (this is what makes them taste so great!)

11. place in skillet or griddle (med heat) for 2-4 minutes per side, the first batch will be the slowest to caramelize --once the pan is "seasoned" the next batch with go quickly

remove to cutting board and squeeze all little more lime on top

cutting into thirds

I put a little cilantro inside each triangle and dip in sour cream!