I <3 you, Friday.. and Veggie PACKED quesadillas.
Happy Happy FRIDAY! There is no better meal to kick off your weekend than these mouthwatering, ooey-gooey tortillas of joy. I mean come on- look at the crisp on that shell!
First, I need to tell you that I love love LOVE Mexican cuisine. Is there really anything better? There is this amazing authentic restaurant down the block from me that makes the BEST Mexican grilled corn. If you have never had/heard of this, it is basically a large corn on the cob grilled to complete perfection- coated with Mayonnaise, and topped with Cotija cheese and chili powder, plus a small bit of fresh lime juice. Is your mouth watering yet? If so, please go get one. now.
ANYWAY, since I know nothing about cooking authentic Mexican cuisine (wish so much I did), I think my food would fall under the whole Tex-Mex category. Nothing wrong with that though. Nachos and Fajitas?? Yes. please.
So after I am continuously inspired by the Mexican cuisine world, here is one of my own recipes that I like to make for Ryan and I when we finally get a Friday night off together, and want something tasty that isn't take out. I know.. cooking dinner on Friday night after a LONG week can seem like it can't be done, but do not cave and order delivery. Resist! Get your apron on, and try these for yourself. You will most likely be hooked. ENJOY! xx S.
I N G R E D I E N T S:
- 1 8oz block of Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 large red onion, sliced/diced
- 1 green pepper, sliced/diced
- 1 cup corn (frozen works fine)
- 1 package of white flour tortillas
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed
- Chili powder
- Chili pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil for sauteing/ grilling
- Sour cream (optional)
- Guacamole! Recipe below
PREPARE: Dice your red onion and green pepper, and set aside. Next, grate your large block of cheese and put in a bowl covered until ready to use. If using already shredded cheese, you just saved yourself a step :)
START COOKIN: Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add peppers, onions, and corn, and top with a dusting of chili powder (more to taste if you like it extra chili powder-y!) and salt & pepper. I like to add some Chili pepper flakes here too just to give it that extra kick. Cook for about 10 minutes until veggies start to get tender and soften. Once they do, add your can of black beans. Cook until all heated through, and remove from heat when finished.
START GRILLIN: In a medium size frying pan (or one about the size of your tortilla shell), heat over medium low heat, with just a small coating of olive oil spray- or any kind of cooking spray. Once hot, place one tortilla in the pan and let cook for a minute or two until warm. You can increase the heat just a little, but never pass Medium. If it's gets too hot, it will burn the shell super fast, so keep an eye on it. Add a portion of your veggie-bean mix in the center, and spread around the shell BUT do not let it get too close to the edges. Top with a light sprinkle of cheese, and place another tortilla over it. With a heavier pot in equal size to your frying pan(or some of you may have one of those 'panini presses' to do this part for you) apply pressure on the quesadilla so you can feel the 2 shells glueing together and becoming one LARGE quesadilla.
ALMOST DONE: Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes until you notice it gets crispy at the bottom, and when you lift it with a spatula just to take a peak if it's ready to flip, then lift and flip quickly! Be VERY careful here because you do not want it to fall apart. I like to use a spatula underneath it, and another utensil at the top so I have a good handle on it before doing this. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes and voila! You just mastered your veggie quesadilla. Serve with Guacamole & Sour cream.. and maybe some hot sauce too.
*Note: If your quesadilla falls apart during the flip and get's too frustrating, try folding in half. It will be much easier to flip! Also, be careful not to over stuff. This will cause a huge mess and your quesadilla may fall apart ( </3 ).
Also, let cool for about 5-7 minutes before eating, so it doesn't literally crumble and fall into pieces in your hands if the cheese is still too hot/melty. Once the cheese sets, slice and serve!
G U A C A M O L E !
- 1 large ripe avocado
- half a lime
- Chili powder
- 1/4 small red onion, diced (more or less to your preference)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
MMM: Remove seed and smash up avocado. Squeeze in some lime and zest, and throw in the diced red onion. Sprinkle some Chili powder, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. Taste and season to your preference. ENJOY!
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