Quesadillas

[julie515]

 This is another recipe from "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld.  We have made this one quite a few times (we've always loved plain cheese quesadillas, but these were pretty good too).  Just make sure you don't overstuff them and cook them a little longer if they seem soggy.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 pound chicken cutlets or boneless chicken breast, rinsed and dried; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste; 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream; 1/2 cup butternut squash puree; 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese; 4 (8 inch) whole-wheat tortillas; 1/2 cup bottled salsa

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the oil.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and chili powder, add it to the pan, and cook until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side for cutlets.  For chicken breast, cook 5 minutes per side, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 9 to 10 minutes longer.  Cut the chicken into thin slices, or puree it, if necessary.

3) In a small bowl or mini-chopper, mash the beans iwth the sour cream.  In another bowl, stir together the butternut squash puree and the cheese.

4) Spread the been mixture over two of the tortillas and press one of each together to form sandwiches.  Place on the baking sheet and bake until the tortillas are crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

It makes 4 servings.

[julie515]

 Jessica Seinfeld mentions that if your children don't like chicken, then you can either omit it, or puree it after it's cooked at stir it into the bean mixture.

Just a warning:  every time I cook the chicken, it makes my house fill up with smoke.  Every time my husband cooks it, it's perfect.  I sit and watch him and I have no idea what he does differently, so be warned if you are unlucky in the kitchen, open up all of your windows and be prepared to be waving a towel at the smoke alarm.  The chicken is still really good though.