Killer quesadilla recipes

Roasted chicken and pepper quesadillas

Serves 6

Rotisserie chicken and a jar of roasted red peppers to the rescue for this quesadilla dinner. We love Tumaro's Chipotle Chili and Pepper Tortillas for this recipe because they lend a delicious smoky heat. We also use the oven method for cooking the quesadillas so all the quesadillas can be cooked at one time.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken
• 1 cup sliced roasted red pepper from a jar (drained)
• 2 green onions, finely sliced (green and white parts)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large flour tortillas
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, peppers and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Generously spray a large cooking sheet with olive oil or cooking spray.
4. Place a tortilla on the baking sheet and sprinkle half of it with about 1/4 cup of cheese. Top that half with about 2/3 cup of the chicken mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese.
5. Fold the tortilla over the filling and spray with olive oil or cooking spray.
6. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
7. Bake in the oven for 4 minutes. Flip quesadillas over and cook for another 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are lightly browned and just crisp.
8. Transfer to a platter and serve, or cut into wedges and serve on individual plates.

Mushroom and caramelized onion quesadillas

Serves 4

Sautéed mushrooms and onions are a mouthwatering match for smoked Gouda cheese, all nestled in a toasted tortilla.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• 2 cups shredded smoked Gouda

Directions:

1. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onions and mushrooms are softened.
2. Add sugar, vinegar and continue to cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Brush a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
4. Set a tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese, one-fourth of the onion mixture, and another 1/4 cup of cheese over one-half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over the filling.
5. Repeat with a second tortilla and the same amount of filling -- you'll have two quesadillas in the pan.
6. Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is just starting to melt and the bottom of the tortillas become lightly browned.
7. Carefully flip quesadillas and continue to cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until the cheese is very melted and the quesadillas are lightly browned on both sides.
8. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
9. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges and serve immediately.

Peach and feta quesadillas

Serves 2 to 4

Sliced peaches and crumbled feta put a deliciously different twist on the classic quesadilla. You can also swap in sliced strawberries or plums for a change. Sweet and savory give the usual cheese-filled tortilla a yummy balance of flavors. This recipe calls for kasseri cheese along with the feta -- but Monterrey Jack cheese will also work well.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe but firm peaches, halved, pitted, sliced
• Juice from a small lemon
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1-1/2 cups shredded kasseri (we like BelGioiosi Kasseri Cheese)
• Canola oil
• 4 whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine peach slices, lemon juice, cilantro and onion.
2. In a small bowl, combine feta and kasseri.
3. Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and let the oil heat up.
4. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet and quickly top with one-fourth of the cheese mixture and half of the peach mixture. Cover with one-fourth of the cheese mixture. Top with a tortilla.
5. Cover skillet and allow quesadilla to cook for 2 minutes or until cheese has started to melt and the bottom tortilla is lightly browned.
6. Use a large spatula to flip the quesadilla. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is very melted and the bottom tortilla is lightly browned.
7. Slide quesadilla onto a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
8. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
9. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges and serve immediately.

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