Quick Weeknight Quesadillas

By / Food / October 13th, 2011 / Like

Some nights I just don’t have time to do any real cooking. Instead of ordering pizza, I make quesadillas. The only advance planning you’ll need to do is pick up a package of tortillas and take stock of any leftovers in the fridge. In 20 minutes or less, you’ve got a fun, low-key and nutritious dinner.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I had made squash-stuffed peppers. I had placed the leftover filling in a container that had then been shoved to the back of the fridge. I also had a box of frozen spinach. Cheese is always in good supply at my house. But, if you don’t have any, go ahead and make these quesadillas without it. The tortillas won’t adhere as nicely to the filling without the cheese, but if you don’t mind that, the final product is just as delicious.

I don’t tend to keep tortillas on hand, but I do always have a bag of Masa (corn flour). I can stir up and cook about 8 8-inch corn tortillas in about 20 minutes. Combine ingredients in any way you’d like to make the filling. You might want to try a Brie, ham and spinach combo. How about lamb and mango? Or spinach and bacon?

These are a great treat.

Spinach and Bacon Quesadilla
Serves 4

8 corn or wheat tortillas
300 g spinach, drained
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
4 rashers bacon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper

1. In a large pan, sauté bacon until brown and crisp. Add garlic, cook until soft but not brown. Add mushrooms. Cook until all the water has been released from the mushrooms and has evaporated. Add spinach. Cook for 10 minutes, until water has evaporated from the bottom of the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Lay out one layer of tortillas. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly among the four tortillas. Divide the cheese and sprinkle over each tortilla. Top with the remaining tortilla.

3. Heat broiler to high. Place 4 tortillas under the broiler and cook until tortillas are beginning to brown and filling as heated through.

Serve with a Spanish Tempranillo.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary Mantini has always loved words. When she isn't working as the Associate Editor at Tidings Magazine, she's helping others achieve their writing dreams, and sometimes she even relaxes with a good book and a glass of wine.

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