Put the knives and forks down. You can eat these with your hands.
Tacos and burritos make you work when you eat them. Taco shells break and fall apart, often making food go splat on your plate or lap. Burritos have a tendency to squish their tasty innards out onto your hands when you squeeze them. In both cases, you look like you’re doing a juggling act with Mexican food as you reach for napkins with your free hand while trying to eat with the other.
Quesadillas, though, tend to be a bit neater. Typically, the melted cheese inside holds most everything in place. And, there is less of everything, too, so they’re more manageable. Their flatness makes eating with hands simpler, too.
Of course we’ve all probably known a great quesadilla stuffed with too much goodness that, when picked up, sagged like a soggy slice of pizza. Let’s face it, we just grabbed a fork and used it, too.
Quesadillas are perfect for all ages and eating abilities. You can fill flour tortillas with just about anything, from Velveeta and hamburger to peanut butter and bananas, sling them in a pan, fold them in half (or top with another tortilla), brown, flip, brown and they’re done. Plus, you can dumb-down or amp-up the spiciness to suit any palate.
Here are four quesadilla recipes, one each for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Go out and buy some flour tortillas and experiment. Just in case, have plenty of napkins handy.
Beef Quesadillas with Queso Blanco Sauce
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, divided
4 1/2 ounces mild green chilies, chopped, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
5 teaspoons cumin, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 large flour tortillas
TOPPING:
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
In a small pan, add 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, half of the green chilies, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Heat over low heat until cheese is melted and well blended, about 10 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent bottom from burning. Keep on low until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown beef 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Drain oil and add 1 tablespoon salt and the remaining cumin, chili powder, garlic, green chilies and cheese.
In a large skillet, preheat over medium-low heat. Drizzle olive oil and place 1 flour tortilla and fill with 1/4 of meat mixture. There will be enough for four large quesadillas. Place another tortilla on top. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until light golden brown and then cook on other side. If the quesadilla is browning too quickly, turn down to low heat. Repeat steps for the remaining quesadillas.
Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces and top with warm queso sauce. Garnish with cilantro, tomato and sour cream.
Slow Cooker Chicken Quesadillas with Pico de Gallo
2 pound bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, chopped
PICO DE GALLO:
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish
TOPPINGS:
2 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, plus more for garnish
8 large flour tortillas
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium mixing bowl, mix chicken with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper.
Sear chicken in batches on all sides until browned but not cooked through.
Add chicken, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and garlic to the bowl of a slow cooker; stir until well combined and cook on low for 8 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare pico de gallo: In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine cheeses.
Transfer chicken to a rimmed sheet pan to cool slightly; remove skin and bones. Shred chicken using 2 forks. Skim fat from braising liquid and discard. Add 1 cup braising liquid to chicken and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add 1 flour tortilla and sprinkle with cheese mixture; add a layer of chicken and top with more cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Cook until tortilla is light golden brown and cheese begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and crisp other side. (If the quesadilla is browning too quickly, turn down to low heat.) Repeat steps for remaining quesadillas.
Cut each quesadilla into wedges and top with pico de gallo, crumbled cotija and lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings.
Tip: For Oven-Baked Chicken Quesadillas, do this:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees while letting the chicken filling cool.
Spray baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray. (You may need two sheets.) Heat in the oven while you assemble the quesadillas.
Divide the filling between the tortillas, covering half the surface. Top with cheese. Fold in half and press down gently but firmly.
Remove baking tray from oven. Transfer quesadillas onto tray (you should hear a soft sizzle).
Bake 8 minutes. Then turn the quesadillas (over the folded edge) then press down with the egg flip. Bake for a further 8 minutes or until the surface is crispy.
Remove from oven and serve immediately with toppings.
Loaded Breakfast Quesadillas
4 slices bacon
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream (plus more for serving)
2 tablespoons chopped chives
4 medium flour tortillas
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Shredded Monterey Jack
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Hot sauce, for serving
Cook bacon in a medium nonstick pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Whisk together eggs and sour cream in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture into the pan. Let set slightly, then reduce heat to low. Drag the eggs with a spatula or wooden spoon to create curds. When the eggs are almost cooked to your liking, season with salt and pepper. Fold in chives and remove from heat.
Assemble quesadillas: Divide scrambled eggs between two tortillas. Top each with cheese and avocado slides. Place remaining tortillas on top.
One at a time, cook quesadillas in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat until the bottom tortillas is golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Repeat with other quesadilla. Serve warm with more sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.
Cheesecakeadilla
1/2 block cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 flour tortillas
1-2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar
1/4 cup sliced strawberries
Melted chocolate, for drizzling
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until blended.
Spread cream cheese mixture on one tortilla and sandwich with remaining tortilla.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add quesadilla and cook until golden on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until second side is golden. (Add second tablespoon of butter if skillet is dry.)
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, top with strawberries and drizzle with melted chocolate. Makes 1 quesadilla.
This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Put the knives and forks down. You can eat these with your hands.."