Campfire Quesadillas

We just returned from a fantastic vacation in the Brainerd area of Minnesota.  I gained about 6 pounds this week...a few ounces on the baby I'm busy growing, and I'm not quite sure where the rest went.  We've been eating very well!  While camping, we cooked all of our meals over the campfire.  We do this quite a lot at home as well, and it's one of my favorite perks of the beautiful summers in Minnesota.  These quesadillas were one of my favorite meals of the week.

Before leaving for the week, I chopped, seasoned and packed the chicken in a few layers of foil.  I knew I was going to cook the chicken up within the first day or two, otherwise, I'd have packed frozen chicken and seasoned it at the campsite.  I like the flavor after a day of soaking in lime juice and spices.

With just a touch of oil in the pan, the tortillas on your quesadillas will cook up nice and crispy and the flavor will be perfectly smokey, pairing nicely with the cumin scented chicken and sauteed peppers that serve as the bulk of your filling.  If you're cooking in your own backyard, try a tri-pod grill, which is sold for about $20 at camping supply stores.  There's nothing better than eating out in the woods on a beautiful summer day!  

Campfire Quesadillas
Serves 4 to 6.

Mix all together and marinate  for up to 2 days wrapped in several layers of foil, placed in a large ziploc:

One pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
(I kept my spices to a minimum because my pregnant belly is fussy.  You could definitely add more spices including red pepper flakes, which I would typically recommend at least a pinch of.)

2 large sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange or green), chopped
1 medium-large onion, chopped
Pinch of  salt and pepper
(Normally I would throw a couple cloves of minced garlic in here.  Yum!  I miss garlic.)

2 cups shredded colby or marble jack cheese
About 8 fajita sized tortillas
Oil for the pan

Cook the foil wrapped chicken over the campfire at a level that equals medium-high heat.  Turn the packet over every 5 minutes and check the chicken after 20 minutes.  Check at 5 minute intervals until the chicken pieces are cooked through.

Preheat a campfire-proof skillet over the medium-hot fire with about a tablespoon of oil.  Saute veggies with salt and pepper until barely tender, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

Set aside the chicken and veggies and gather your tortillas, cheese and oil.  And slice spicy hot peppers for those like them.

For each quesadilla, add about a half teaspoon of oil to the hot pan.  Place a handful of filling (equal parts chicken, veggies, cheese) on half of the tortilla and fold in half to create a semi-circle.  Grill the first side until golden, then flip to grill the second side until browned.   (For those that like the heat, add a few slices of hot peppers along with the filling of each quesadilla.)

Serve warm with sour cream and salsa, and sliced avocados, tomatoes and lime wedges, if  you have them.

Enjoy!