Yummy Spring Butternut Squash Black Bean Quesadillas

What do you do with a giant butternut squash in the spring? This is an interesting recipe for Butternut Squash Black Bean Quesadillas that I just cooked up in my head.  I had a big 'ole butternut squash sitting on the counter and I needed something interesting to do with it that was a little more spring like and fun. You could also use frozen chunks of butternut squash for a faster prep.

In hindsight, I would roast the butternut squash and cut it up a day before to save time and cleanup. Or use frozen....

So I cut a whole butternut squash in half the long way...be careful! I then put both halves face down in a big Pyrex glass dish in the oven. I added enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. I roasted. It at 400 degrees for about an hour...cook it until a fork pierces the inside easily. Let it cool and cut it up into small chunks. You can use half of the squash or the whole one if you have more people in your family. 

Onion is sauteeing and I just added celery.

Celery and onion cooking away.

Meanwhile chop up half an onion and sauté in a bit of oil or vegetable or chicken broth if you are saving calories. About two minutes. Add 2 ribs celery chopped and one or two thinly sliced carrots then 3 or 4 small chopped peppers or one large pepper to the sauté pan. Cook on medium adding broth or oil as needed until soft 5-8 minutes.  Then add two cans black beans and cook 2 minutes or until mixture is warm. 

I used these cute medium sweet peppers that I found this week at ShopRite.

I like to use organic beans that I know have cans that are BPA free.

Slicing up the carrots thinly and chopping the peppers.

Sauteeing the peppers and carrots with the onions and celery.

Then I added the cooked squash to the sauteed vegetables.

Adding the roasted chunks of butternut squash to the mixture. Season as you like with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes to warm.

Get out your tortillas, I like the whole wheat ones from Trader Joes.

Either use grated cheese or grate it yourself.

Spoon mixture on tortilla in hot non-stick pan. Add cheese to top and bottom in quantity you like.

Cover with second tortilla. Cook about 2-3 minutes on medium flame until lightly brown and then....flip it. Repeat.

Plate each one and repeat. I like to cut them into triangles. Dip into salsa or eat plain. Delicious!

Get out non stick frying pan place one whole wheat tortilla in warm pan. Add mixture including butternut squash chopped and top with a bit of Monterey Jack or your choice of cheese and too with another tortilla. Cook on medium 2 or 3 minutes until lightly brown. Flip with spatula and repeat on other side. Remove onto plate and slice into triangles. Repeat process with other tortillas and enjoy!