[More from Vanessa... this recipe is for a dish we were taught to make by our neighbor, Lupe, when we were growing up in LA. Here's Vanessa's take... comment away.]

Here's a classic one-dish Mexican breakfast originally conceived as a way to use up leftover tortillas. It doesn’t usually include beans, but this version was invented one hungry morning when a perusal of the refrigerator turned up two eggs, some leftover Rancho Gordo beans and salsa and a few odds and ends of avocado, cilantro and queso fresco.

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the ingredients. As long as you have the beans, salsa, tortillas and eggs, the dish will satisfy. You’ll have breakfast on the table in the time it takes to brew the coffee.

Bean Chilaquiles with Avocado & Queso Fresco
serves 2, but can easily be expanded for a crowd

1/3 cup safflower or other mild vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas, each cut into 8 triangles
1 cup smooth, spicy salsa of your choice
1/2 -3/4 cup leftover cooked Ojo De Cabra or other pinto-like beans
3 eggs, beaten
Any or all of the following for garnish: cilantro, avocado, queso fresco, (or other cheese) sour cream

Pour the oil into cast iron pan and heat over the camp stove until very hot, but not smoking. Add tortilla triangles and fry, stirring constantly, until brown and crisp (about 3-4 minutes).

Pour in the salsa (carefully as it will bubble up), and cook, stirring, until the tortillas soak up most of the salsa (about 1 minute). Add the beans and stir to heat.

With a wooden spoon, move the tortilla and salsa mixture over to one half of the pan, and lower the heat.

Pour the eggs into the empty side of the pan, and cook, stirring, until they are about halfway set.

Stir the eggs into the tortilla salsa mixture and cook until the eggs are just set.

To serve: Divide the chilequiles among two plates and top with your garnishes of choice.