Quesadillas for Dinner

Quesadillas are a wonderful way to make a meal that is cheap and delicious. Flour tortillas are the basis for quesadillas. Buy the large size. Melt some butter in a frying pan or griddle and place the first tortilla in the pan, then lay down a layer of cheese. I like to use muenster because it's mild enough not to drown out the simple, distinct taste of the tortilla. If you'd like a plain cheese quesadilla, put the second tortilla on top, and wait until the bottom tortilla is lightly golden brown, then flip the quesadilla until the second tortilla is equally golden brown. When it is, lift the quesadilla out of the pan or griddle with a large spatula and let it cool on a cutting board until you can slice it in four to six pieces.

Make a better quesadilla

Prepare the quesadilla as above, but before you put the second tortilla on top, add a layer of a meat of your choice. You can use leftover steak, sliced very thin. You can use leftover chicken, diced. You can even use leftover fish like salmon, cod or tilapia.

Vegetables are great in your quesadilla, too. Dice a tomato and chop some cilantro and sprinkle them on top of the cheese for a Mexican style quesadilla. Virtually any vegetable will work well here. Avocados are especially traditional.

Serve with a side of salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. And if you're feeding hungry people, include side dishes of rice and refried beans.