During this dinner (two days ago), Anjali and I had our first quarrel as roommates. Are peppers and onions better roasted or sautéed? Dear reader, we all know the answer to this question: when it comes to any meal involving a tortilla, roasted is better.

Author’s Note: Anjali feels strongly that peppers are better roasted and onions better caramelized. The action is question, however, is the sautéing.

Step 1: Take the peppers and onions you rationed from the jambalaya last week and divide in half. Toss half in olive oil and Tony Cachere’s seasoning salt (or whatever spicy thing you have in your spice rack). Roast at 400 for 20ish minutes. The more roasty the better the crunch. Now, this is very important: don’t burn your house down. It is literally the only location you’re allowed to be during quarantine.

Step 2: Heat your cast iron skillet over medium and get ready to sauté the remaining half of the peppers and onions.

Step 3: Change your mind and throw them in the oven to get roasty.

Step 4: Dump a can of black beans into a pot. Heat them up and smash them only halfway — no more, no less. Add the random taco seasoning from your last camping trip. Spices don’t expire.

Step 5: Take a bag of Spanish rice and stick it in the microwave for 90 seconds. I recommend providing a 2 inch slit for steam to escape, but we forgot and the rice / microwave did not explode. Do this at your own risk.

Step 6: Take the rest of the ingredients out of the fridge. Options include: black olives (whole, sliced, pits, no pits — no one cares; this is about the peppers, remember?), salsa, guac, shredded cheese.

Step 7: Assemble whatever tortilla meal you want. I opted for a burrito. Anjali opted for a quesadilla. Make sure you remember which half has the roasty veggies and which half has the sautéed veggies.

Step 8: Debate the finer points of roasted versus sautéed veggies for 3 days. There is no winner here, but make sure you act like this is life or death. The key to roommate harmony is dying on the hill of roasted veggies.

PS – I definitely won the Pepper-Off in my own mind only.