You may have noticed over the past few years a certain food section of your grocery store has been taking up more and more space. It’s America’s fastest growing cuisine in terms of popularity–Mexican!
Having just returned from a trip to southern California which has an abundance for great Mexican food, I thought I’d show you how to make a fast, easy, and versatile south of the border classic quesadillas.
It’s warm and flavorful and you’ll be done in no time at all. Here are the quesadilla basics which will get you started and as long as you include a little cheese to bind it together, just about any ingredient will work. Personally I like to over-pack my quesadillas however my brother David likes them thin. The great thing about building a quesadilla is you can individualize them so everyone’s happy.
Quesadillas
Makes 12 slices
3 – 4 small appetizer servings
Olive oil spray (or a pat butter, if you like the flavor)
4 10 – 12 inch flour tortillas (look for burrito size, the bigger the better)
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices cooked bacon, cut into bite size pieces
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced very thin on the diagonal, or pulled apart with a fork
8 tablespoons Pico de Gallo (or your favorite salsa)
Optional: any leftovers you have that you think would pair well with the ingredients, cut into small slivers (suggestions: avocado, steak, onions, rice, lettuce, pork, peppers, cilantro, you get the idea)
8 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Spray a large flat skillet (larger than the tortilla) with the olive oil spray (or butter) and heat it over medium heat. Lay a tortilla on the skillet and let it toast for about 2 minutes. This happens quickly so take care not to burn it. Reduce the heat if it is cooking too quickly.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese on half of the open tortilla. Add (on the cheese) in 1 strip of the cut up bacon, 1/4 of the sliced up chicken breast, 2 tablespoons of the Pico de Gallo and any leftover you might have.
Let the cheese melt, which should happen pretty quickly, about 1 minute.
Reduce heat to low and fold over the tortilla so the ingredients are covered and neatly tucked inside.
Sprinkle the top of the tortilla with 1 tablespoon of Monterey cheese and when it melts, which should happen immediately, flip it so the cheese is now toasting underneath. Repeat on the other side, and flip again so both sides of the tortilla have toasted cheese. Important note: as soon as the cheese is toasted, flip it so it doesn’t burn.
Transfer the quesadilla from the skillet to a large plate. With a pizza cutter, slice up the quesadilla into three or four parts. Serve immediately; however, take care when eating as the insides can be quite hot. Carefully wipe down the skillet to removed any toasted cheese and start again.
