Quick and Easy Quesadillas and Burritos

Starting out: Meat and Cheese

Both foods start out with shredded pre-cooked meat, either chicken or beef. Use whichever you prefer or have on hand - the rest of the directions will be the same. If you do not have any pre-cooked meat, the fastest way to accomplish this would be to poach (cook in boiling water) a boneless, skinless chicken breast for 15 minutes. After that time, take the chicken out of the pot and shred it with two forks. It should come apart easily, thanks to the moist cooking.

Both foods also contain shredded cheese. Again, this can be any kind you want. I like to use cheddar, but monteray jack would be another good choice. Or for more heat, use pepper jack. You can buy cheese in a package that's already been shredded, or buy a block of cheese and shred it with a box grater.

A Word about Amounts

When I make these recipes myself, I don't measure out specific amounts of ingredients. I just "guesstimate" the proper amounts mostly by how they look. So the amounts, where listed, are only approximate. Really, it's up to you. Some people may like more cheese, some people may like more meat, etc.

The Recipe: Quesadillas
Makes 2 quesadillas

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked shredded meat (see above) - One boneless, skinless chicken breast or 6-8 oz of beef is enough
1/2 to 3/4 cup of shredded cheese (see above)
Black beans (either canned beans that have been drained and rinsed, or dried beans that have been cooked on a stove for 90 minutes)
Taco sauce
Sour cream (optional)
Flour tortillas
Vegetable oil

You will need a large skillet or frying pan for this. If you use oil on the tortillas as indicated below, the risk of sticking is minimal. However, you could use a nonstick or cast iron skillet to ensure that the quesadilla won't stick.