Beef Quesadillas

 

Now, I LOVE quesadillas! I LOVE ordering them from restuarants, I love making them...I just LOVE them!

So, I thought I had to write a quick post about how I make them. That being said, remember there are many different things you can put into the quesadilla and mine are never the same.

The key to a quesadilla success, to me, is to make sure you heat up the tortilla in a pan (sprayed with PAM, of course) on both sides and when you fold the quesadilla and want to melt the cheese inside...pour a bit of water into the pan and cover it. (that is the trick!)

Beef Quesadillas

Ingredients

*1/2 lb. ground beef
*1/4 diced red pepper
*1/4 diced onion
*1 scallion, diced
*1/4 c. fresh cilantro
*1/2 c. salsa
*lime juice
*salt and pepper
*taco seasoning
*tortillas
*mexican cheese
*sour cream, Tabasco, additional salsa...for topping

Step By Step

1. Combine all of the veggies. Season with salt and pepper and lime juice. (and a dash or two of Tabasco, if desired)
2. Cook the ground beef with the taco seasonings. Add in a bit of water during this process.
3. Once the meat is ALMOST browned, add in the veggies and the salsa. Cook for a few additional minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat an additional pan over High heat. Turn the heat down after a minute to medium-high heat and place a tortilla on the pan and cover. After a minute, flip the tortilla over. Add cheese to half of the tortilla.
5. Top the cheese with the meat mixture. Top with more cheese and fold the tortilla in half.

6. Add in a bit of water and cover to melt the cheese. Once the cheese is melted, it is done. Make sure you use a strong utensil to get the quesadilla out of the pan and onto the plate. (sorry I forgot to take a picture of this, but hopefully you get the idea!)

Serve with a side of rice and/or beans. YUM!

My Take on the Yummy Crunchwrap

I found this recipe on Pinterest from Busy Mama Bird. She called it the Crunchwrap Supreme...I'm assuming it is her take on something from Taco Bell. I am not a Taco Bell partaker...so I am just guessing. Anyway, I thought it looked delicious and wanted to try it myself.

I looked at her recipe and I liked it, but I knew I wanted to change a few things. The things I changed I wasn't sure if it was going to "work," but it was worth a shot. Now, her crunchwrap was very pretty at the end...mine....was not. But, that being said, it was VERY yummy.

The major change I made was instead of using queso sauce, I stuck with shredded mexican cheese. This was part of the reason my wraps didn't stay wrapped, but I tried! Also, I tried to shove a lot of veggies in mine, so, again, that might have been part of the reason it didn't stay "wrapped." (and instead of buying tostadas...I crumbled up tortilla chips)

Without further to do...

Pugh's Yummy Crunchwrap

Ingredients

*burrito sized soft tortilla
*crumbled tortilla chips (about 1/4 c. per crunchwrap)
*ground beef
*taco seasoning (for the beef)
*shredded lettuce
*diced onion
*diced pepper (red or green or both)
*diced, jalapeno (seeded, if preferred)
*diced, tomato
*cilantro
*shredded mexican cheese
*salsa, sour cream (optional)
(*damp paper towels!)

Step by Step

1. Cook ground beef with taco seasonings and cilantro. Set aside in another bowl. You will use this pan again to melt the crunchwrap. (keep the pan on a warm setting)
2. Warm the tortillas between layers of damp paper towels (:30 in the microwave)
3. On the warm burrito, put a layer of cheese down....

4. The rest of the layers...
Top with ground beef...

Then, tortilla chips...

Peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno (all the veggies)...

More cheese and circle the cheese with lettuce...

5. Fold the edges in and flatten down.

6. Put extra cheese in the folds to melt the folds down.
7. MAKE SURE YOU SPRAY WITH PAM! Then, flip the crunchwrap down on the pan with the folds facing down.

8. Cover (and drop a bit of water in with the pan to help the cheese melt)

9. Flip (after a few minutes)

10. Serve with salsa and or sour cream