Put the Squash in the Quesadillas

I will begin this post with a little story. My boyfriend and I went to Denver to celebrate Christmas this year. We originally had dreams of snowshoeing and skiing, but as it was 50's degrees each day (yup, you heard me correctly), we had to improvise a bit with our plans. One thing we did while we were there was tour a Budweiser factory. As someone with a gluten allergy, I was not exactly looking forward to it. But about halfway through the tour, our guide mentioned a beer that was fairly new to the Anheuser Busch family: Redbridge. I was floored when he said that it was a gluten-free beer. Anheuser Busch has finally jumped on the GF bandwagon? Hooray!! Even better, the beer was actually delicious. Not too hoppy, notes of caramel, clean and crisp finish. I loved it. Until then, I had never tried a gluten-free beer. It just sounded fake and I didn't think it would be as good. But with that first sip, I realized that I had missed it. It was great! I could finally "kick one back" with the boys again. I was craving another one the whole way home. Now, the only down-side is that I can't find it anywhere in NY!

We had many other adventures while we were there, two of which were notable restaurants. The first was Udi's Pizza Cafe. Udi's is a well-known bakery which makes artisan and gluten-free breads. I learned from a fellow blogger that they had opened a fairly new pizza restaurant in the Denver area, so we thought we'd check it out. Dinner was great, and to my surprise, the gluten-free pizza was actually less expensive than the regular pizza!

Our other notable dining experience was the legendary Casa Bonita. Oh yes, Casa Bonita. Live and in the flesh. For those of you who have seen South Park, Casa Bonita is legendary. I only heard about it right before we left, but once I mentioned it to my boyfriend, it was a must-do. We had to go. It was every male cartoon-watchers dream. We had to experience all that was Casa Bonita. See it in all of its glory. It's tacky atmosphere, awful food, off-key mariachi band, chlorine odor, and theme park-style waiting line. To put it in the words of my boyfriend, "We had an awful good time." It was one of those "so bad it's funny" evenings. While I did not partake in much of the traditional Mexican food, I bore witness to the Velveeta cheese sauce and jarred salsa. To a seasonal food girl, it was a nightmare! This is what inspired me to make my own Mexican-inspired meal last night. I had to put the pasteurized processed cheese out of my mind and move on. So, I did - I made Roasted Squash, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas. They were seasonal and delicious.

Roasted Squash, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas: Yields 4 Servings
2 lb butternut squash, peeled, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 T + 1 t olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 t chipotle chile powder
4 medium brown rice tortillas
8 oz goat cheese
salsa and Greek yogurt for serving, optional

1. Heat the oven to 425. Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly grease with olive oil. Transfer squash to pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast for 35 minutes, turning occasionally, or until golden and tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add garlic and sweat until translucent. Stir in beans and chipotle powder.
3. Heat griddle over medium-low heat. Lay down tortilla and top with 2 oz goat cheese. Place 1/4 of the squash and 1/4 of the beans on half of the tortilla. Cover and let cook until cheese melts. Fold in half, cut into wedges and serve with salsa and Greek yogurt (if using).


Yet another easy dinner. After a long day at work, I needed this comforting meal. I spent this afternoon baking and practicing recipes. The cookies were a total success (yes!), but I had a little trouble with the cinnamon rolls. I'll tell you more about that at another time. Until then, Casa Bonita dreams and quesadilla wishes.