Q is for Quesadillas

Quesadillas (keh-suh-dee-uhs ) feature regularly on our lunch menu or even as snacks in the three foot cooks household.  They are a great recipe for kids as they are simple to prepare and quick to cook. Quesadillas are basically cheese melted inside a tortilla.  They are a nice change to grilled cheese on toast (another lunch standby) and the fillings can be adapted to suit all tastes.  This makes them acceptable to picky eaters and a great way to use up leftovers. 

Bear and Bee’s favourite filling version is the simplest – grated tasty cheese.  Usually this consists of me placing a flour tortilla on a microwave safe plate, sprinkling on some grated cheese, topping it with another tortilla and zapping it in the microwave for 1 minute.  Wait until it cools a little, slice up like and pizza and enjoy with some tomato sauce.

Today I thought I would change it up a little and use our contact grill (George Foreman grill) to cook the quesadillas which makes them nice and toasty on the outside.  I have also seen recipes for quesadillas cooked in an oiled frypan.  I think this just makes them a greasy and unhealthy recipe for kids.  If you want to use a frypan to cook the quesadillas, use a dry non-stick pan.

I gave Bear and Bee a few ingredients in addition to the grated cheese to see if they would include anything else if given the choice.  There was sliced ham, sliced tomato and grated carrot. However, they stuck with just the cheese.

Here is how to make your quesadilla.

Preheat a sandwich press or contact grill.

Place one half of a large flour tortilla on top of a square of baking paper.  If you have mini tortillas you can use 2 – 1 for the top and 1 for the base.

Look Mum, it's a boat!

 Sprinkle on some cheese.

Lots and lots of cheese.

Add your toppings.  All proteins like mince and chicken need to be precooked.

Place the other tortilla on top.

Add another square of baking paper and place the whole lot on the grill.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the outside is slightly golden brown.

Allow to cool for a minute or two and slice into wedges.

Enjoy

Other fillings you might like to try:

• Shredded cooked chicken, pesto, roasted red capsicum, cheese
• Leftover mince, red kidney beans, cheese
• Cheese and spinach
• Tuna, corn and cheese
• I even came across a recipe for a sweet quesadilla that I will definitely be trying – sliced strawberries, choc hazelnut spread and slice banana, with a sprinkling of icing sugar once cooked.

What is your child’s favourite lunch recipe?