Quesadilla Surprise

I've found that many recipes can be vegan-ized and taste just as good (if not far better) than their dairy-filled counterparts.

Who needs eggs in a peanut butter filled chocolate cookie?

And meatballs have a lovely vegan twin called Bean Balls.

I've even been known to vegan-ize Southern favorites like seasoned collard greens.

However, when it came to quesadillas, I felt certain I would never taste a vegan version I liked as well as its cheesy twin. Let's face it: quesadillas were designed for cheese-lovers. That gooey cheddar, sandwiched between two halves of a tortilla shell, is the hallmark of the dish.

Then Sunday, January 16, 2011 came into my life. The day brought a garlicky, cheese-less, roasted corn quesadilla, and it laughed in my fearful face.

I know, I know: A bit melodramatic. Truthfully, Adam was feeling creative in the kitchen and he wanted to surprise me with Sunday dinner...using only ingredients we had on hand (and needed to use up). The result was Garlicky White Bean and Roasted Corn Quesadillas.

Thus, this week I've become a believer in not just cupcakes, but also in cheese-less Mexican food.

Don't get any ideas though. I don't intend to pass up the queso next time we head to Black Bear for dinner.

Garlicky White Bean and Roasted Corn Quesadillas

(an Adam original)

The deliciously flavorful white bean dip serves as a binding agent and cheese stand-in for this vegan take on a Mexican favorite. You may never go back to the dairy-filled version again.

Ingredients:

• a dash of olive oil
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 large onion, diced
• Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 recipe for Garlic & Pine Nut Bean Dip (except we didn't have fresh parsley or pine nuts, so we just left 'em out!)
• Tortilla shells
• Fresh spinach, salsa, and diced avocado for topping

Directions:

1) Heat a dash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add corn and cook until lightly browned, about 5 - 10 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened.

2) To prepare quesadillas, generously spread tortilla shell with bean dip. Top one half of the shell with the roasted corn mixture and diced tomatoes. Fold in half. Heat a little olive oil in the same skillet, and cook quesadilla on one side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and cook until other side is lightly browned. Serve with chopped spinach, avocado, and salsa.

Quesadillas: Autumn-ized

I love classic summer-style quesadillas: fresh grilled veggies, black beans, and bit of goat cheese or sharp cheddar. Simple, flavorful, and oh-so-seasonal.

But seasons change, and Fall is upon us. Summer days (and menus) are nothing but memories. We ended our fling with Summer last week, and it's time to move on, my friends. Summer "just isn't that into us."

Good thing Fall can't keep its hands off of us :)

In the spirit of oh-so-seasonal quesadillas, let's welcome an Autumn-ized twist on the this traditionally Mexican dinner delight: Apple and Brie Quesadillas with Honey Mustard, featured in this month's Cooking Light.

My interest in this recipe was instantly piqued by the use of Brie--a cheese I consider to be "fancy-schmancy," and reserved for special occasions only. My hungry stomach and craving for soft cheese is a special occasion, right?

Needless to say, I certainly enjoyed my special-occasion-Brie. It paired beautifully with the crisp, sauteed apples and light honey mustard sauce. Autumn-ized Quesadillas, indeed.

Summer is nothing but a distant memory...

Apple and Brie Quesadillas

(recipe adapted from Cooking Light)

If you don't have Brie on hand, you could experiment with other cheeses for sure! Also, if you're not up for making your own honey mustard, you can always cheat and buy some pre-made--Ken's "light" version is quite tasty.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups thinly sliced apples
• 1 onion, sliced
• a little olive oil
• Flour tortilla shells
• 6 oz. Brie cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Honey Mustard Sauce (recipe below, or store-bought if you prefer)

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Ingredients:

(I apologize--I didn't measure one thing for this! I just combine the ingredients and adjust to taste. Trust your inner Foodie!)

• White wine vinegar (probably a couple tablespoons?)
• Dijon mustard (a couple teaspoons?)
• Honey (a tablespoon?)
• Apple Cider (4 teaspoons?)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook until tender-crisp (about 5 -8 minutes). Add onions and cook until softened--about 4-5 minutes. (I also added a little apple cider into the mix!). Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Spread one half of the tortilla with Honey Mustard. On the other half of the tortilla, place Brie cheese (the recipe says "sliced Brie," but I just spread mine!). Place approximately 1/2 to 2/3 cup apple and onion mixture on top of mustard-coated side of tortilla. Fold over other half.

3) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place tortilla in skillet and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, approximately 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is also lightly browned. Serve with additional honey-mustard for dipping.

Farewell, Summer Grilled Veggies

Let's face it: You can sauté them, roast them, stuff them, or eat them raw, but does any cooking method really compare to grilling your vegetables?

With Labor Day weekend upon us, it seemed appropriate to bust out our little Smoky Joe charcoal grill and give it one final heat-up before the summer comes to a close. On the menu? Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Quesadillas--a recommendation from one of the Hungry Spoon's wonderful readers :)


As a side note, I must remind you of my die-hard love for grilling all things vegetarian. That's right: charcoal and grill marks aren't just for the carnivores. Forget the kielbasa and ribs, my friends--it's bean burgers, pizza dough, and veggies on this little grill! Remember those awesome Grilled-Veggie Pesto Pizzas? Oh, the delicious-ness. And how could we forget S'Mores?


Last night grill-icious quesadilla dinner was easy-peasy, full of fiber (woo-hoo!), and super filling. It's based on a blending of two recipes: one sent by reader and friend Jamie (found at this link on Family Fun's website), and the other found in Andrea Chesman's cookbook 365 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains (recipe titled "Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadillas").


So, friends, let us bid farewell to Mr. Smoky Joe until next spring. We'll be trading in his beautiful grill-marks and smoky flavor for soups, casseroles, and the classic stovetop veggie saute. He'll be missed for sure.


Happy Labor Day!


Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
(adapted from recipes in Andrea Chesman's cookbook and the Family Fun website)


Goat cheese on quesadillas? Unbeatable. We're so used to using cheddar on these tasty grilled delights that we forget about the wonders of smooth, delicious chevre. Goat cheese has got it going on.


Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 - 2 zucchinis, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• a little olive oil
• a little lime juice
• Smoked paprika (or other smoke seasoning)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans
• Goat cheese (yummmm)
• Tortilla shells
• Your trusty outdoor grill
• For garnish: chopped avocado, salsa, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce or spinach

Directions:

1) Prepare grill for cooking.


2) Place bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and garlic in a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil and lime juice over the veggies. Sprinkle with smoke seasoning, pepper and salt (to taste). Thoroughly mix until veggies are evenly coated.


3) Spray a grill pan with non-flammable grill cooking spray. Place veggies in grill pan and place on the grill. Cook until tender, or until they get those awesome grill marks (about 5 - 8 minutes?). Remove from grill.

4) On one half of a tortilla, spread a little goat cheese and sprinkle some black beans (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup?). Top with grilled veggies and fold other half of tortilla over.


5) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place folded quesadilla in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip quesadilla and cook until the other side is golden brown (about 1-2 minutes).


6) Top with chopped avocado, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce or spinach.