Early this morning, about 2:00 AM, my husband and I took my oldest daughter and her husband to the airport. It’s about a 3 hour round trip plus I like to go in and say my goodbye’s as close to them going through security as possible. We got home about 5:30 this morning and went right back to bed. But, we had to be up and ready for Church by 10:00, so we didn’t get a ton more sleep.

After church I was tired and thought I’d try taking a nap, but my daughter had gotten less sleep than me and needed a break, so I fed my grandbaby, and then rocked him to sleep and watched a movie while he slept on my lap. There are few things better than a sleeping baby in your arms.

Once he woke up though, I needed to figure out something to feed us all. I hadn’t eaten anything all day, and I’m pretty sure no one else had had much to eat. I found a few chicken breast tenders in my freezer and decided chicken quesadilla’s sounded really good.

I got out the chicken, started it cooking, and realized I didn’t have any cheddar cheese. I grabbed a brick out of my freezer, but that won’t be thawed out until tomorrow. I looked in the cheese drawer in my fridge, and I had the options of parmesan, swiss, and gouda. Parmesan is more of a garnish at our house, and my husband and I are the only ones who like swiss, so gouda it was.

These quesadilla’s turned out so good, so I thought I’d share the recipe here, also so I have it later!

Upgraded Quesadilla’s

Makes 6 Quesadilla’s

• 6 chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt and pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

Cook the chicken in the oil until mostly done. Chop into smaller cubes so they fit nicely in a quesadilla, you don’t want huge chunks. Put back in pan and add the seasonings and finish cooking the chicken. Add water as necessary so they don’t get too brown. Add the drained beans and heat until beans are warm. Remove from heat.

• 12 Flour Tortilla’s
• 2 cups shredded gouda (more or less depending on how cheesy you like it)

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle on low heat. Put a little bit of olive oil on the griddle and place one tortilla (or two depending on what fits) in the skillet or on the griddle. Divide filling into 6 servings and scoop one serving onto the tortilla and spread to within 1 inch of tortilla edge. Top with cheese to cover the filling and place a second tortilla on top. Place a small spoonful of olive oil on the top tortilla and spread it around.

Check the bottom tortilla. When it’s golden brown, use a large spatula to flip the tortilla to the other side. Continue cooking until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Keep the burner on low so that the cheese will melt before it’s burned on the outside.

Remove to a plate or cutting board and cut into 4-6 pieces. Continue with the rest of your filling and tortilla’s. Add your favorite toppings. Some of our favorites are fresh chopped tomatoes and onions, cowboy candy or fresh jalapeno’s, sour cream, and salsa.

Did my family like it?

Quesadilla’s are a family favorite, and they can be super simple, tortilla and cheese, or they can have lots of additions. I think it’s the additions that make a great quesadilla. I wasn’t sure what we’d think about the gouda when that was my option. But, it melts so well, the flavor is unique, and it just complemented the chicken so well. Everyone loved it. I think this will be one that I come back to often for a quick meal.

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