1 cup roasted red pepperssliced in thin strips (or a 12-oz jar)
8flour tortillasor gluten free tortillas
1canblack beansdrained and rinsed
2cupscheddar cheeseshredded (more if you like them really cheesy)
Serve with cilantro, salsa, sour cream
Instructions
Cook bacon until crisp in medium non-stick skillet. Remove bacon. Skip this step if you want it meatless.
Add onion and garlic to bacon fat (or olive oil if vegetarian) and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add roasted red peppers and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and let them drain.
Wash pan clean and make sure to dry it well. Place pan back on burner and heat over medium heat. You want to give the cheese time to melt without burning the tortilla.
Place 1 tortilla in hot pan and brown on one side. Repeat with other tortillas.
To assemble
For the next part you will have to do one quesadilla at a time. Return 1 tortilla to pan with uncooked side down and sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of cheese.
Next, add ¼ of the vegetable mixture followed by ¼ each of the black beans and crumbled bacon.
Top with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Cover with another tortilla, cooked side down. Press down with your hand or a spatula.
Cook until the cheese just starts to melt and the bottom of the tortilla is browned and crisp. Using a large wide spatula and your hand, carefully flip the quesadilla. Cook until the other side of the tortilla is brown and crisp and cheese is completely melted.
Remove from pan and repeat with remaining tortillas. Garnish with cilantro then cut each into wedges with pizza cutter. This recipe will make 1 tortilla per person.
Serve with sides of salsa and sour cream for dipping.
Notes
Variations and tips
Make this quesadilla vegetarian for Meatless Monday by omitting the bacon and using olive oil or coconut oil for preparing onion and garlic.
Switch out the bacon for rotisserie chicken, cooked hamburger, shrimp or just go for the cheese.
Opt for mushrooms, spinach or avocado in place of the peppers. Actually, just about any vegetable will work.
Adapt it for gluten-free diets by using corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas rather than flour tortillas.
Want it low carb? Make a cheese tortilla in place of the flour.
Don't fill the tortillas too full as it will make them harder to keep them together.
Pro Tip: When browning the tortillas and cooking the quesadillas, do not put any grease or oil in the pan. It's best to use a nonstick skillet.
When cooking, cook on a medium temperature to allow the cheese to melt as the tortilla browns and crisps up.
Use a block of cheese you grate yourself as the pre-shredded cheese has a waxy coating to keep it separated and does not melt as well.
Toasting the flour tortillas helps to improve the flavor. It also helps make them easier to handle when eating.