quesadilla

Pizza Quesadillas

November 1, 2016

How is it November already?!?!

I can’t believe it. I just can’t. I can’t even.

I can’t believe that Autumn will be 3 in a few weeks.

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just a bit after that.

And then Christmas is just a few weeks away!!!! At least I have already done most of the Christmas shopping we need to do.

Being in Florida this year doesn’t make it feel like it’s November. Shoot, it’s still in the 80’s during the days. That is still beach weather. But it’s funny how it does feel cooler and crisp. I guess that is what happens when you go from the hot and humid 90’s to the drier 80’s.

Anyway, here we go with another Taco Tuesday post!

I have made pizza quesadillas for years. I even had made them using just 1 tortilla so they are like thin crust pizzas. So crisp. Regardless, pizza and quesadillas are both awesome so combining them.

Autumn didn’t want pizza quesadillas but instead she wanted plain cheese quesadillas. She then proceeded to open it up and put pepperoni in it and call it a sandwich. Then she refused to dip it in the pizza sauce until she didn’t and she was inhaling it all. #toddlers

Of course you can pick and chose whichever toppings you like best, but I think the salty pepperoni works so well with the crisp peppers and mellower mushrooms. I don’t like olives, but feel free to add them. Hawaiian pizza is my favorite, so if you like that, then give that a try.

The biggest take away from this recipe is the technique on assembling the pizza quesadillas from toasting the tortillas in the oven to filling them, and then returning them to the oven to melt the cheese. It’s super simple so you can easily change up the ingredients for the toppings you prefer. Also, you can easily double or triple this recipe to make a big batch for a large family or a party. Just make sure you have plenty of cheese!

You family will love to personalize them with their favorite pizza toppings. Getting some make something your own is so special and fun. Plus, extra delicious.

Just eat pizza quesadillas. That should just be a rule.

Pizza Quesadillas

Makes 4 quesadillas

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 Cup thinly sliced red onion
1 Cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 Cup thinly sliced peppers
4 ounces of fresh baby spinach
8 tortillas (8″ dia)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
approx 30 slices of pepperoni
2 Cups pizza sauce

Process

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil to cook the onion, mushrooms, and peppers until tender, about 5 minutes.Turn down the heat and add the spinach to wilt. Mix well.
On a large sheet pan, arrange 4 tortillas. Place under the broiler, set on LOW, to toast for a minute or 2.
Remove 2 tortillas, set aside for later.
Add the a bit of cheese to each tortilla (approximately 1 ounce of mozzarella and a spoonful of Parmesan cheese). Add 1/4 of the veggie mixture and about 6-7 slices of pepperoni to each tortilla. Add the same amount of cheese on top of the filling.
Return to the oven for another 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese. Top with the toasted tortillas. Place on a cutting board and cut into quarters.
Repeat the process of assembling the pizza quesadillas with the reaming tortillas.
Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Cali Turkey Burger Quesadillas

March 22, 2013

It’s officially spring but mother nature has not yet received that memo. She is being a pain in my butt with the cold and the SNOW that we have been having. I have a love/hate relationship with living in New England as I hate the long drawn out cold weather that mess with us long into March and April. And yet, I just love the spring and fall seasons. Can’t win them all I guess. But at this point I wouldn’t pass up at trip to California to escape this cold weather right now.

Plus, if I was in Cali I’d sure as hell be attending the Sprint Cup race this weekend in Fontana. A little of shopping in L.A. and a whole lotta fun watching the Auto Club 400 race in Fontana. Of course I would hope for another win for Kasey Kahne because I’m still loving his win from last weekend in Bristol. yay!! But since I can’t cheer him in person I’ll take a mental trip there by making these Cali Turkey Burger Quesadillas for this week’s edition of Sprint Cup Snacks.

There is a restaurant near my office that had a summer special when they first opened that I just loved. They made a burger quesadilla that was sooo good! It was so flavorful like a taco but was a totally a burger in a tortilla. I guess it wasn’t a typical quesadilla as it was wrapped up but it just made it so easy to eat. It’s kinda like a quesadilla wrap or a flat burrito. Whatever, it is just good!

This is super easy to make which is always great when your whipping up a quick weeknight dinner or just distracted watching the race. ha! The burger is so flavorful with all the toppings on top. I picked toppings that reminded me of a California Club with the bacon, tomato, red onion, and avocado. And, of course, a quesadilla has loads of cheese!

Don’t wait another year for another Fontana Race to make this burger but your family. This is great anytime for lunch or dinner.

Cali Turkey Burger Quesadillas

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 generous teaspoon adobo seasoning
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
12 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices of cooked bacon
1/2 of an avocado, thinly sliced
tomato, thinly sliced
red onion, thinly sliced

Process

Combine the ground turkey and the adobo seasoning. Form 4 equally sized patties. Make the patties very, very thin and about 4″ across.
Grill the burgers until they are about 2 minutes from being cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking microwave the burrito tortillas for about 30 seconds to make them vary soft and playable.
Place some of cheese in the center of the tortilla. Then add the burger, bacon, tomato, onion, avocado, and cheese onto the burger. Fold opposite sides into center and then repeat with the remaining sides.
Place the burger with the fold sides down back on the grill with a weight on top of the burger to seal it closed. Flip over to other side to warm though to melt the cheese and add grill marks.
Cut in half prior to serving.

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{Sprint Cup Snacks Track Facts}

The Auto Club Speedway is a fairly new track in the Sprint Cup Series. Construction started in 1995 and the first Sprint Cup race was in 1997 with Jeff Gordon winning the inaugural race. Originally the race was 500 miles but since then has been shorted to 400 miles. It is the only Sprint Cup race in Southern California, which is just 50 miles from downtown LA.

Track: 2 miles

Shape: D-Shaped Oval

Banking: 11 degrees in the front-stretch, 3 degrees in the back-stretch, 14 degrees in turns

Surface: Asphalt

Capacity: 91200

Race: 200-lap for 400-miles

2012 winner: Tony Stewart

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Tacos Tacos Tacos Tacos!- Boston Brunchers at Dorado Tacos and Cemitas

February 10, 2011

On Sunday morning 16 food bloggers, including myself, descended upon Dorados Tacos in Brookline, MA. We arrived an hour prior to their normal opening to feast on their brunch options. We snapped photos, discussed our blog’s point of views, talked camera settings, and what we did for work. We took video, shared plates of food, talked about events we have attended, and which restaurant offers the best{_fill in the blank_}.

Why did we do all that?

Because we are part of the community of food bloggers in Boston. But more specifically we came together through Boston Brunchers. Renee, the organizer, has put together a great schedule for people to to enjoy brunches at various places throughout Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. Brunches vary from free to $ to $$$, limited by first come first serve sign up, or participants are selected by the restaurant based on reasons why they want to attend the brunch.

In this case Dorado limited the total # of people, while they threw in a few free meals for the people that won their approval. I was one of the first 14 people to sign up so I paid for my meal , which is no big inconvience since everything there is really affordable.

The group came together over plates of huevos rancheros, breakfast quesadillas, patatas bravas, agua frescas, hot chocolates, and coffees. I enjoyed the house-made pork chorizo quesadilla with guacamole and a side of patatas bravas. The quesadilla was really good, without being greasy from the chorizo. The guacamole was inside th quesadilla so it was incorporated into each bite. The patatas bravas, a Spanish potato side dish that is similar to home fries, were so much more spicy than I anticipated. I really enjoyed them but I’m glad I listened to someone describe them before pouring hot sauce on them, like I typically do with home fries. I washed that down with my favorite cucumber mint agua fresca.

I’m looking forward to attending more brunch gatherings in the future with the great people I met. Plus great food doesn’t hurt!

PS- Whenever I hear about or have tacos I think of Terry on Reno 911. Any scene with Terry at Tacos Tacos Tacos Tacos cracks me up.

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