Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

This is a light and easy dinner - great in summer, stores well, portable, can be easily doubled, quintupled, whatever...of course the "light" factor disappears once you add the after-ingredients, but that's the joy of "optional." Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3-4 med. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or the equivalent in "tenderloin" pieces), fresh or thawed, cut into bite-size strips or pieces

1-2 Tb olive oil

2 tsp cumin

salt/pepper

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 med. jar salsa in whatever level of "hot" you prefer

1/2 c. frozen white corn (I round way up on this), or 1 small, drained can

1 pkg. (8) tortillas (homemade are best, but I lack the necessary skills and get them from a local restaurant, store-bought are a last resort)

Optional add-ins: shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, Spanish/Mexican style rice, etc.

PREPARATION:

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste while heating olive oil in large, deep-sided skillet.

When oil is warmed (drop of water skips around on surface), thoroughly cook chicken on medium heat, stirring frequently, adding cumin as soon as outside of chicken pieces are white.

Once the chicken is cooked through, drain off excess oil - you'll want some of the drippings reserved for flavor, but not so much that your chicken is "swimming" in it

Stir in your jar of salsa and let it begin to simmer with chicken while you drain and rinse your black beans

Gently fold black beans into salsa mixture (don't smash them!), bring back to a simmer, then add corn, simmer entire mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, while you set the table (or yell at your kids to come and set it) and get your tortillas* and add-ins ready.

Serve with fresh fruit on the side and enjoy!

*If you are like most people who don't live in the Southwest and don't have a tortilla warmer, use 2 dinner plates - one to hold the tortillas and one to cover them - and zap in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip the plates over, and repeat. Warm and moist, as opposed to warm and a bit dried out in the regular oven.

Or cheat and call my dear, dear friend Diane...a fellow (now retired) 110% Tex-Mex Jarhead's wife we met in '95 at El Toro...she makes her own flour tortillas and there's NOTHING like them in this world. We have imported her from VA a few times and will be going down to see her in a few weeks to make this dinner for our combined families and, of course, will slug back some Finger Lakes wine together. :)