Quesadillas, Rosie Style

Okay, I know what you're thinking--you already know how to make quesadillas. However, I am about to introduce something to you that will change your quesadilla world forever. Obviously you need cheese and tortillas, but there's so much more you can do with quesadillas. I personally like to make my quesadillas on a cast iron griddle or frying pan, but microwaves work as well, although they aren't as delicious. I start off by covering a tortilla (already warming up on the pan) with cheese. The next thing I put on is some kind of mixture of spices. My recent favorite is a combination of taco seasoning and fajita seasoning. Other favorites include oregano, all purpose seasoning, season salt, onion and garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, or basically any other spice on hand. It really depends on your personal spice preference. If I don't feel like using any of the spices I have on hand, I use some sort of clear salad dressing, like italian dressing or greek dressing. I haven't ever used a creamy dressing, but that's only because I'm not generally a fan of creamy dressings, so if you feel so inclined, you should try it. After that, I often sprinkle on a little bit of shredded chicken (I use canned chicken, but if you have leftover chicken, that works well too). Other meats work too, but chicken is usually what I have. Hamburger, shredded beef, or  pork work great from my experience, and I know a lot of people who aren't me like fish, so if you want to try that, go right ahead. Next, if I have any in my fridge, I put on vegetables like bell peppers or tomatoes or onions. I know that there are lots more vegetables that I have used in the past, but basically anything you might consider putting in an omlette would work well in a quesadilla. After I finish putting things on, I put on a second tortilla. After the cheese is mostly melted, I flip it over, being careful not to spill any of the contents. The tortilla that has been on the bottom should be slightly browned and crispy. Just let that second side of the tortilla brown and then remove. If you want to, this is where you can put on any vegetables that you didn't want to cook (cucumbers or avocados or lettuce*), as well as sour cream, salsa, quacamole, or any other dressings you feel like. No two quesadillas I make taste even remotely the same. So good, so versatile, and so easy. Up next, learn how to make homemade tortillas.

*Something fun to do with iceberg lettuce is to slice it into thin strips and toss with apple cider vinegar and salt. This goes really well with quesadillas.