Quesadilla Bar

Last night for dinner I set up a quesadilla bar and fired up the griddle in anticipation of everyone fixing their own.  This may have worked if I had a more cooperative audience.  With Jack and Caterina all I got was “You know what I like.”!  However, I still think this is a great idea if you have kids over for a sleepover. They will all have it their way! But with 10 year olds, I’m still manning the griddle…

On my Quesadilla Bar

flour tortillas

shredded Monterey & pepper jack cheese

diced chicken

sautéed mushrooms

black beans

taco sauce

Helpful tips:

Chicken – mine was leftover from the whole roasted chicken we had earlier in the week. It’s also a great way to use a rotisserie chicken. I love Whole Foods rotisserie chickens because they have not been treated with antibiotics. Other really yummy option are leftover grilled pork tenderloin or steak.

Sautéed mushrooms – I was so excited when Rachael Ray demonstrated sautéing mushrooms. The trick? Don’t salt them until AFTER they are cooked! If you put salt on them at the beginning all the juices come out and they won’t brown. Mine shown here were put in the pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil and cooked on medium. They get a gorgeous caramel color and taste so, so good! I salted & peppered them after they cooked.

Taco sauce – By putting taco sauce inside the quesadilla, I don’t have to have salsa to dip it in. This is really helpful if you ever take them to a party! It tastes really good too. This is also good for the picky husband who does not like the chunky salsa you get at the grocery store.

Coconut Oil – I use coconut oil instead of butter on my griddle for pancakes and French toast. Extra virgin coconut oil is one of those ‘healthy’ oils - so much better for you than butter! I tried it on my quesadilla and it gave it such a nice clean taste. Buy this for your pantry! Another hint - Your Dekalb Farmers Market has extra virgin coconut oil in plastic containers really cheap!

Happy eating!