Quesadillas

Quesadillas are easy to make. I once made them in a tiny hotel room kitchen for 9 people. So if they're so easy why am I making a recipe for them? I will tell you.
Just melting cheese in between a folded tortilla doesn't make for something memorable. Just something edible. To elevate your Quesadillas to something worth getting excited over there are a few easy steps.

Step 1

2 cups Southwestern vegetable mix or 1 cup corn and 1 cup cooked black beans
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Lime Juice

The vegetable mix I am referring to here is found in the freezer section along with the rest of the frozen vegetables. There are many different brands but they all contain about the same stuff, corn, black beans, onions, and a mild pepper.

If you cannot find them you could try having someone suggest you use a horrible canned chili instead, it should motivate you to search a little harder. Don't laugh, that's actually what happened to me when I was making them at the hotel. Couldn't find the vegetable mix in the grocery store until my sister suggested I use canned chili. I made a disgusted face then all the sudden noticed the southwestern blend in the freezer case right in front of me.

Or you could just substitute 1 cup frozen or fresh corn and 1 cup canned black beans.

The vegetables do not need to be defrosted before cooking, the hot pan will do that for you.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen vegetables to the pan along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and dry toast (no oil)  the vegetables until the corn has a little bit of browning to it.

Remove corn and bean mix from the pan and place in a bowl. Stir in lime juice. Set aside.
Clean out the skillet and use it for the next step.

Step 2

2 cups Corn and Bean mix (the one I just told you how to make)
4 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar
10-12 Flour Tortillas
1/4 cup Olive Oil 
2-3 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Heat the skillet over medium to medium-low heat. You will need to adjust the heat throughout the cooking process if your quesadillas start to brown too quickly.
Using a pastry brush, brush one side of a tortilla with a thin coating of oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt.

Lay the tortilla, oiled side down, in the pan. Add cheese and a few spoonfuls of the corn and bean mix.

Fold the tortilla over and move the curved edge to match up with the curve of the pan (yes, there is a good reason).

Repeat on the other side of the pan.

Toast until dark golden brown. Flip and toast on the other side. The cheese should get nice and melty.

Remove quesadillas from pan, allow to cool for a minute, then cut and serve.

See how easy that was.

Until next time,
Julia