Dang Quesadillas



 Dang Quesadillas (name stolen from Napoleon Dynamite) are one of my family's favorite (vegetarian) dinners.  I created the recipe years ago in an attempt to creatively use the many zucchini from the garden. 

In a large bowl:
*Shred zucchini (I use about 7-9 for a dinner for 6)
*Add two cans drained and rinsed black beans
Salt fairly liberally and allow to sit for a bit.

Meanwhile, saute in butter:
*Chopped onion
*Sliced mushrooms
*Red, yellow or orange pepper (or not.  Sometimes I don't have any...)

Squeeze zucchini/bean mixture with paper towel to remove excess water from zucchini. (The salt helps draw out extra moisture.)

Add sauteed veggies to zucchini mixture. 
Stir in
*Pico de gallo (or salsa, if I don't have any prepared)

Brown both sides of small corn or brown rice tortilla in oil in pan. 
Spoon mixture on top. 
Sprinkle with cheese.  (Cow, sheep or goat all work well!)

Keep warm on cookie sheet in oven set at 200 degrees until all are prepared.
Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro (unless your husband, like mine, hates cilantro.  Then omit his only if you want to be nice...) and fresh chopped tomatoes.
My kids like theirs served with a dollop of sour cream.
ENJOY!

Note:  The other night when I made these I had leftovers of the veggie mixture.  I saved it in the fridge and the following night I cooked up some chopped chicken in a skillet and mixed this in.  After adding more pico de gallo and several other seasonings (whatever was handy...) I served it over rice.  I think it was even better the second time around!