Preheat oven to 200 degrees F to keep quesadillas warm during prep.
Need 12 inch skillet, large sheet pan. Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons beef stock
- 12 ounces shredded cheese blend, divided (about 3 cups)
- 6 flour tortillas (about 7 or 8 inches in diameter each)
Method:
Preparing the Quesadillas
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and all the spices. Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is fully cooked through (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Stir in the tomato paste and the beef stock and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove beef from the pan and place into a bowl, draining excess grease from the skillet.
Meanwhile, lay out tortillas on countertop. Spoon an equal portion of 2 cups of the cheese on each tortilla. Reserve the remaining cup of cheese.
Spoon an equal portion of the ground beef mixture on each tortilla, then top with the rest of the cheese. Fold over each tortilla to form a ½ moon shape. Each half moon is a quesadilla.
Cooking the Quesadillas
Note: Wipe out your skillet with a paper towel, then add 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet.
(Note: Cook the quesadillas two at a time at medium low heat. Add more oil as necessary between batches of two.)
Place two quesadillas in skillet and cook for about 2 minutes on one side. Carefully flip to the other side and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted inside. Watch carefully to ensure they don’t burn.
As each batch is completed, place on the sheet pan and put pan into the oven to keep warm until all are completed.
Once done, remove from oven and cut each quesadilla in half to form 12 servings.
Serve with salsa and/or sour cream.
Leftovers can be stored in air-tight container in the fridge. Use within 2 to 4 days, reheating before serving.
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