Thanks to inspiration from my good friends over at the Pizza place, I came up with a quesadilla that I’m sure is not original to me, but came out fantastic.
6-8 fresh flour tortillas (I prefer whole wheat, but you can use regular or whatever you want)
2 medium Vidallia or Texas Sweet onions, cut in half and sliced into thin rings
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz. – 16 oz. wild mushrooms, depending on how ‘mushroom-y’ you want it, and any kind (I like a mix of 3 or 4 different kinds)
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
8 oz. Goat cheese
fresh oregano, minced (to taste)
salt & pepper to taste
olive or canola oilOn medium-low heat in a 12″ fry pan, caramelize onions in 1 tbsp. oil until soft and a deep golden color, but NOT crispy or burned. This will take a while, so be patient! About half way through the caramelization process, add garlic, season everything with salt and pepper and continue to saute, being careful not to burn the garlic or the onions. When done, remove from pan to a bowl and set aside.
Keeping the pan on medium-low heat, add a little more oil and saute mushrooms until tender, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Remove from pan to another bowl and set aside.
Wipe out pan, and add a tiny bit more oil and coat the pan. Keeping medium-low heat, place one tortilla in the pan. Layer some Monterey Jack, dolops of goat cheese, onions, mushrooms, a bit of oregano, salt & pepper, then a bit more Jack cheese, and place a second tortilla on top of it all. Cook until cheese just begins to melt, and bottom of first tortilla is golden. Flip, and cook until cheese is beginning to bubble and other side of quesadilla is golden. Remove from pan and set up the next quesadilla in the pan as the first one is resting (if you cut it right away it will ooze all over). This makes 3-4 well-stuffed quesadillas. Let them rest for a few minutes, cut and serve!!
I personally would not serve with salsa or sour cream; let the flavors stand on their own. If you need a garnish, perhaps some fresh chopped kalamata olives or additional oregano. Serve with a nice salad, and you have a tasty lunch or dinner.
Just as a side note, quesadillas are a fantastic alternative to the carb-and-sugar-loaded after school snacks. We have them in the EK house at least once a week for snack. Use one whole-wheat tortilla and some Mexican blend low-fat shredded cheese (or whatever cheese you like), saute in a pan or even pop it in the toaster until the cheese melts, fold in half and voila! Yummy, healthy snack. My kids love tomatoes in it as well.
