Waffle Iron Quesadillas

I discovered quesadillas during my first year of college in Arizona.

In Illinois Mexican food was virtually unheard of unless you bought those crisp taco shells that came in the package.

Never liking those made me think I didn’t like Mexican food.

Plus I had a father who claims and still does, that all Mexican food looks alike so it doesn’t matter what you order.

Guess what? He is wrong but Mexican food just ain’t his thang.

 Anyway in Arizona I had a Mexican friend who quickly turned me on to the delights South of the border.

My first discovery was a chimichanga (which is a giant deep fried burrito) that at this restaurant was rolled in guacamole and then sour cream. I mean what was not to like?

My second discovery was the cheese crisp which is really just a giant tortilla toasted with lots of cheese that we ate at a place somewhere in Scottsdale called Dr. Munchie’s.

Yes, that was the real name. I think it went up in smoke a long time ago.

Well, a cheese crisp is really another way of making a quesadilla which I quickly became a fan of.

A quesadilla makes a great meal with a salad and they are also a great way to use up any leftover tidbits you may have in your fridge.

I often make them for my family and also for appetizers when company comes.

Generally, I make them on the grill which I preheat to low and then cook the tortillas until they are crisp and the cheese is gooey.

I fold them half way over after the tortilla has softened and then use tongs to flip them so that both sides are good and crisp.

Toppings include leftover chicken, steak, chorizo, ham or shrimp. I’ve even used leftover salmon.

Vegies include onions, mushrooms, peppers, green chilies, corn and potatoes. Potatoes are yummy on a quesadilla.

All varieties of cheeses can be used and one combo that I’ve often enjoyed is Brie with mangos and chorizo.

I often set up a Topping Bar, similar to a salad bar and let everyone design their own.

You can top with salsa or use salsa as a base like tomato sauce on pizza.

We put them on paper plates and then when it is your turn we slide them on to the grill to cook.

This is a quick fun way to make anyone happy.

You can also cook them on the stove or under the broiler or in a convection oven.

The idea is to get them crisp on the bottom and baking them tends to make the bottoms a bit soft.