Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla

This makes one big ass quesadilla (enough for two people if served with sides) or a two to three normal size quesadillas

Here's what you're gonna need:

1 big sweet potato or 2 smaller ones

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 can cooked and rinsed black beans
a couple of shakes (1/8ish tsp) cumin (optional)*
a couple of shakes (1/8ish chili) powder*

1/4+ tsp cinnamon*
1/4+ tsp cayenne*

1 big ass flour or whole wheat tortilla, or 2-3 smaller ones

meltable cheese (queso fresco, monteray jack, and colby jack work well)

sour cream and/or slices of avocado for garnish (optional).

And here's what you're gonna do:

Cook up that sweet potato either by roasting it (tastes better) or nuking it (quicker). Either way, get it to a state where it is very easy to stab with your favorite kitchen stabbing devise. Leave it in the skin for now--the escaping steam will make it super easy to peel in a few minutes.

Saute the onions with a small amount of butter until they're translucent. Add the rinsed black beans, and season with cumin and chili powder. Keep it going over medium heat until the beans are warm and your kitchen smells kick-ass.

While the magic is happening in bean land, address your sweet potato. By now you should be able to just pop that bad boy out of its skin and into a bowl. Use a knife to split it open then squeeze / scoop the potato out if it's not cooperating. Now season it with cinnamon and cayenne and mash it up good with a fork or a potato masher.

Add the sweet potato to the pan with the black beans and fold it all together until it's mixed well and give the flavors a minute or two to blend. Here's where the * comes in. Wait for it...
*now sample the sweet potato and black bean mixture and adjust the seasoning to your taste. You can also add a pinch of salt here, if you like. I usually don't like.

While the innards are getting to know each other in the pan, address the outtards (new word). Heat the tortilla(s) in a small amount of butter in a skillet of appropriate size or on a griddle. Sprinkle on some cheese (it doesn't need that much). After it starts to get a little melty, spoon the sweet potato and black bean innards onto one side of the quesadilla. Fold the other half over the top of your creation, encourage stick togetherness by pushing on the top a little with your spatula, then slide it off onto a plate. Top with sour cream and avocados. Ta da!