Basic cheese quesadilla

My girlfriend made quesadilla for us on a recent night. I’ve been eating them at Mexican restaurants for years but never made my own. So, I insisted that she teach me her basic cheese quesadilla recipe.

She was bashful at my request. “It’s just a quesadilla,” she said. She thought it was merely Mexico’s grilled cheese sandwich.

The simplest dishes, however, are often the best. They’re also versatile. You can make a cheese-only quesadilla, or you can add meat and other fillings.

Put tortilla on dry skillet. Cook on medium low-medium heat for a couple minutes. It should turn from soft and white to slightly toasty. I like mine crispy.

Melt cheese on top of quesadilla. The melted cheese will hold the tortilla together later, so add enough cheese. I used Sargento’s “Shredded Authentic Mexican Cheese.” It consists of Queso Quesadilla, Asadero and Queso Gallego.

If you want a cheese-only quesadilla, skip this step. Otherwise, add your favorite fillings.

Avoid dripping-wet ingredients. Excess liquid can “dilute” the cheese and reduce its stickiness. Which means your quesadilla can fall apart!

Here, I added shredded pork. The night before, I slow-cooked a 2.08 lb. pork shoulder roast in my Crock-Pot.  When I bought the roast, it was already coated with a “whiskey black pepper” rub.

Fold tortilla in half. Flip tortilla over and cook both sides evenly. Some people say that’s the traditional way for making quesadillas.

Carol doesn’t fold her tortilla. She likes putting a second tortilla on top.

I folded some quesadillas, and stacked others. When I tried to flip a double-decked quesadilla, I worried it would fall apart. However, the cheese glued the tortillas together.

Remove tortilla from skillet. Cut into quarters or eight pieces with knife. Enjoy with condiments.

Cost of Basic Cheese Quesadilla

A single quesadilla costs 68¢ to $1.82 to make. Some restaurants charge $5.50 or more. I spent anywhere from $6.78 to $18.18 on ingredients:

• Pork roast, Swift Premium brand: $6.22 on sale (was $8.30)
• Shredded cheese, , 8 oz. bag, Sargento: $3.99
• Chipotle hot salsa, , 16 oz. jar, Frontera: $3.99 on sale (was $4.99)
• 10 Large flour tortillas, 16 oz. bag, La Banderita: $2.79
• Sour cream, 8 oz. container, Weis: $1.19