I recently made these after quite a long while of forgetting about the recipe. I don't know how I forgot because these quesadillas are so delicious! And they are such a good way to use up extra garden squash. So I thought I would re-post this recipe with an update and pictures.
Written in December, 2010:
Last night I had some big, beautiful summer squashes I needed to use (thanks to my last Bountiful Basket), but wanted a new recipe. So I did a search online and ended up combining two recipes from allrecipes.com. The result was so delicious! And the color combination was beautiful, with all that yellow, red, and green. The different flavors complement each other very well, yet the recipe is versatile so you can make it how you like it and mix and match different vegetables. What a wonderful way to get your veggies!
Fiesta Veggie Quesadillas
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c. chopped zucchini (I used extra summer squash, since I didn't have zucchini)
1/2 c. chopped yellow (summer) squash
1/2 c. chopped red onion (I used green onions instead)
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms (I didn't have these, though I wished I did)
1 Tb. olive oil
6 9-inch whole wheat tortillas
1 1/4 c. shredded cheese of choice
1/2 c. salsa
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
In a large nonstick pan, cook vegetables in olive oil until just tender.
Add cumin and salt; mix well.
Meanwhile, lightly grease cookie sheet.
When vegetables are tender and tortillas warm, make quesadillas as follows:
Sprinkle 1/4 c. of cheese evenly over a tortilla, and layer 3/4 c. of vegetable mixture over cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 c. of cheese over vegetables. Top with a second tortilla. Fill cookie sheet with quesadillas and place in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly browned. Note: A faster option is setting the oven on broil. But only do this if you can closely monitor them, as they brown in only a minute or two. Then flip them over so the other sides can brown.
Cut each quesadilla into triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve hot, with salsa, cilantro, etc, as desired.
6 comments:
I love quesadillas...mostly because it's one of the few dinners I can make that everyone likes. Have you tried making pizzadillas? Use tortillas, but put in pizza fixings. Yummy. Also, there's a restaurant dish I LOVE called Pollo Loco. It uses peppers, the squashes, onions, tomatoes sauteed with some chicken and topped with melted mont. jack. Served with beans and rice, of course :)
This sounds so yummy! But I'm wondering how you get your kids to eat such "adult" food. When my kids were babies and toddlers they ate pretty much anything. But as they got to be 3 and older they wouldn't touch a vegetable or bean with a ten foot pole! I'm still struggling to get my older kids to like healthy foods.
Jenna, the pollo loco idea sounds fabulous. Thanks for the idea!
Carolyn, it's a struggle for us, too, getting our kids to eat vegetables. I keep trying, though. My youngest won't eat beans or rice yet either (I think it's a texture issue), which is really frustrating. But, she has improved little by little, so I just tell myself not to give up. As for the veggie quesadillas, I only put the summer squash with the cheese in their quesadillas because they typically complain about bell peppers and onions. If my youngest doesn't know veggies are there, she'll usually eat the dish, but as for my oldest, I told her she had to eat all the squash if she wanted some of the gelatin salad. She doesn't have an overactive gag reflex, so that works with her...usually.
I was wondering if Vernal still did Bountiful Baskets because every time I go there, Vernal isn't listed! (I am probably too slow). This recipe sounds good. We've been using the Ranch recipe...yum..where do you get onion salt (I couldn't find it anywhere, so I just left it out)?
The time to sign up for Bountiful Baskets changed a few weeks ago to noon, so that may be why you haven't been able to find one. There's a winter location now, which puts it a little closer to you. But if I understand it correctly, there won't be any more baskets till some time in January.
Oh, as for onion salt, I've never had trouble finding it, but I guess I haven't looked for it for a while because my bottle is so big. Even Wal-Mart doesn't have it? I thought it was as common as garlic salt, but maybe not...
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