Chicken Quesadillas

Didn't get a chance to post about dinner last night until this morning, but I had a very good reason.  Right after dinner we had to go to the store to buy soccer equipment for Tyler and Brenna.  After we got home and all the kids were asleep (except baby of course) we started painting some wooden blocks for the mega playground structure my husband has been planning all winter to build for the kids.  We were up until 12:00 a.m. painting and only had 1/2 of them done!!  Looks like I'll be painting again tonight instead of posting!! 

This week is turning out to be pretty busy, so although last night's dinner wasn't exciting or gourmet, it was pretty quick and tasted great.  My kids love "Mexican" food.  I don't really classify anything I make truly Mexican...I guess maybe more of an Ohio-Mex than anything.  I haven't found any restaurants here in Ohio that can compare to the authentic food I ate growing up in San Diego.  I truly believe that the only place you can get food like that is IN San Diego (Booooooooo!!!!).  Next to my family and a few friends I have left in the area, it is the third thing I miss the most.  Yes, even more than the beach and weather. 

I have to clear up 3 misconceptions people commonly have about San Diego.

1) Yes, it is cool to say that I grew up living by the beach, but honestly I did not really go that often.  There were maybe a few magic years in between little kid and adult where I did have the opportunity to go "more" often, but "more" I really mean only a handful of times.  The beach is one of those things you don't appreciate when it is within distance of going and you miss terribly only when you possibly CAN'T go because you live in a land locked state!  People often say to me in disbelief,  "How could you possibly not go to the beach?!?  If I lived close to the beach I would be there EVERY day!!!!"  They do not, however, factor in the following: 

• Living BY the beach was a relative term.  Any beach was at least a 30 minute drive...and don't even get me started on how long it would take to find a parking spot.  Most times you had to park on some residential street and walk another mile to actually get onto the beach!!!  Finding a time to go that was worth making the "30 minute" (give or take anywhere up to an hour additional depending on work traffic which you were almost always guaranteed to hit on the way there or home...or both!!).  Monday through Friday we had this little thing called school that always seemed to get in the way of a nice beach trip.  A lot of us also had various after school activities like sports or band....or babysitting your brothers and sister if you were my poor best friend (sorry Heidi).  If by chance enough of us didn't have something going on after school, there was always homework that had to be done.  And if by some minuscule chance the planets aligned and enough of us were out of activities and didn't have a lot of homework, by the time school was over and you drove out to the beach you pretty much had to turn around and come right home in order to be on time for dinner.  Basically what this came down to was no beach on the weekdays!
• Having a way to get to the beach...I didn't get my driver's license until I was 17.  I did have a few friends who had their license when I was 16, but even fewer of those friends actually had vehicles which exclusively belonged to them.  1 of those friends had a truck which sat only 2 people.  Although California has a reputation for being full of pretty laid back, easy going, free thinking residents, it was still illegal to pile 8 to 10 additional people into the bed of his truck....even alllllllllllllll the way back in 1996!
• Going to the beach, for me at least, basically meant sitting around hanging out with friends, listening to music and laying on the sand or grass....depending on where there was a spot available.  I hated under any circumstances actually going IN the water.  Something about ocean water is just nasty, plus once you get out you're all itchy from the salt water and sand gets in your unmentionable areas.  I guess I just found it easier (not to mention cleaner) to go over to a friend's house to hang out, lay around and listen to music!

2)The weather is NOT always sunny and 72 in San Diego.  I never remember it being cold enough, until recently anyway, to actually snow in San Diego county.  Growing up though, I did think that white stuff on the grass when you woke up in the morning that melted away by mid morning was snow.  Boy was I wrong.  Frost is NOT snow.  I never had to shovel frost off my driveway!!  Still, in the winter it did get cold and windy, especially at the beach.  Despite popular belief, most Californians DO NOT spend their Christmas at the beach!  In the summers it gets really hot...a dry desert hot over 100 degrees is miserable to go out in (and even more miserable to be inside without an air conditioner in....thanks Mom!!)  Let's also not forget to mention the 3 days a year it rains!

3) Not everyone in California knows how to surf.  I might have stepped on a board once or twice, but it was always just sitting in the sand.  I think it would be fun to learn, but unfortunately, all the surfing classes in Ohio are always just too full and never have an opening! =)

So, back to dinner.  I had a leftover chicken breast from the night I made the twice baked sweet potatoes.  So I diced it up for chicken quesadillas.  Also cut up some onions, red peppers, mushrooms, black olives and tomatoes.  Defrosted some of my frozen homemade refried beans.  My Assistant Chef mashed an avocado up in a bowl, got some cheese, whole wheat tortillas, sour cream & salsa from the fridge and was in charge of making the salad that went along with the quesadillas.  A great way to use up a small amount of leftover chicken!! 

Assistant Chef preparing the salad!

She really liked tearing the salad by hand.  My Grandma would be very proud.  She hates when people cut lettuce with a knife!

Assistant Chef with her salad....very nice job!!!

Diced black olives, tomatoes, leftover chicken breast, mushrooms, red peppers and onions.



Put a small layer of margarine on one side of tortilla and place in a large skillet.  On one half spread beans, on the other half sprinkle on cheese, add toppings of choice.  I also sprinkled on some garlic powder, paprika and cumin.  Cook over medium-high heat until bottom is light brown and crispy.  Fold in half and transfer to plate.



 I like to put my avocado right on top and then serve the sour cream and salsa on the side.  I love avocados!!

Finished avocado with a little quesadilla underneath! =)