Make Quesadillas at Home – Plus an Easy Flour Tortilla Recipe

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It’s easy to make quesadillas at home, and homemade quesadillas are one of my boys’ favorite meals. I don’t always make tortillas from scratch, but it nice to have the option in case we decide to have Mexican food and don’t have any tortillas in the house. (My favorite grocery store is about 20 minutes away, so it’s not exactly convenient to pick up random items.) If you plan to do quesadillas on a regular basis, they have funky little quesadilla makers to make the process even easier, but a large fry pan will do.

My youngest has been crowned “Quesadilla King” of the house for his prowess in converting the blank template of a tortilla into a cheesy, saucy snack (or meal). When we have leftover chicken or beef from a meal, quesadillas are one of the boys’ favorite “leftover makeovers”. They were one of the first dishes that my guys learned to make on their own. I have a lovely photo of the first one Dunc ever made – which was charred to black on the outside. He scraped off the char and enjoyed it anyway. (Waste not, want not.) Since then, he’s gotten much better, to the point where my husband will specifically request that he makes the quesadillas. (This may be a clever ploy to make sure the boys are involved with making dinner, but I’m not complaining.)

How to Make Quesadillas

I make no claims to this being “authentic” anything, but it’s tasty, easy and a great way to use up leftover meat that’s not enough to make a meal on its own. A chicken quesadilla will run you over $3 even at a fast food joint, and homemade tastes better.

Start with a tortilla of your choice – homemade or store bought, wheat flour, gluten free, etc. We like a good sized flour tortilla because it’s easier to fold and slice into wedges.

Prep a mix of cooked, finely chopped meat or refried beans and a little salsa, chipotle sauce or seasoning of your choice. Don’t use too much salsa, or the filling will be runny.

Shred cheese or cheeses of your choice – we normally use a good local mild cheddar that melts very well.

Spread meat or refried bean filling on one half of the tortilla and top filling with shredded cheese. Place tortilla in preheated greased pan. Alternatively, you can put the tortilla in the pan first and then spread the filling on, as larger tortillas may get a little floppy and difficult to move. Don’t spread it too thick, or all the filling will pop out the sides when you slice it, and the cheese will take a LONG time to melt.

Place a lid on the pan and heat through until the cheese is melted. The tortilla is folded over the filling, sliced and enjoyed. The process is easy enough for a teenage boy to master.

Those with quesadilla makers can follow the cooking directions from the manufacturer.

Once you’ve mastered the basic process, you can mix and match any way you like with different meats, different cheeses and different sauces. Use your imagination – or get a quesadilla cookbook and use someone else’s imagination.

Homemade quesadillas don’t have to stick to savory fillings. You can mix things up with cream cheese, cinnamon sugar and thinly sliced apples or dried apple slices. Or maybe you’d prefer peanut butter, shredded coconut and chocolate chips? Quesadilla making is a great way to get kids involved with cooking and mix things up for family nights.

Easy Flour Tortilla Recipe

Makes 10-12 tortillas.

Ingredients

• 4 cups white or whole wheat flour or half each
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (optional)
• 1/3 cup lard, coconut oil or shortening
• 1 to 1-1/4 cups water

Directions

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. The baking powder is optional, but will make the tortillas lighter. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or fork; mix until crumbly.

Add enough water to form a soft dough. You may need to use a little more or less depending on your flour, just don’t get it too sticky. Knead the dough ball about 20 times. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10-12 equal balls. Let balls rest on a sheet of wax paper or clean, well-floured surface while rolling the rest of the balls.

Roll each ball into a 6-7 inch diameter circle, spreading the dough as thinly as possible.

Carefully lift tortilla and place into a hot, dry skillet.

Cook 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until pan side is dry with a few brown spots. Flip and cook the second side in a similar manner.

Place the finished tortilla in a sealed container or large food storage bag.

Note: Homemade tortillas will be less flexible than store tortillas. To help make them more pliable, place them in a covered container or sealed plastic storage bag as they finish cooking and allow them to sit in the steam.

Repeat the process with the rest of the tortillas.

If I have room on the counter, I may roll out several of the tortillas before I start cooking, so I can keep them moving in and out of the pan quickly.

Whole wheat flour will also make the tortillas a little less flexible and likely to break, so it may be easier to work with white flour first and gradually add more whole wheat as you become more experienced.

The dough make be made up to 24 hours ahead and left to “soak” in a sealed container in the refrigerator for better digestibility. (Soaking reduces phytates.) Bring chilled dough to room temperature before rolling.

Flour Tortillas 2016-03-15 13:06:17 Easy to make flour tortillas are great for homemade quesadillas and other Mexican meals. Write a review Save Recipe Print 2444 calories 385 g 65 g 73 g 52 g 28 g 852 g 3564 g 1 g 0 g 41 g Nutrition Facts Serving Size 852g Amount Per Serving Calories 2444 Calories from Fat 658 % Daily Value * Total Fat 73g 113% Saturated Fat 28g 138% Trans Fat 0g Polyunsaturated Fat 10g Monounsaturated Fat 31g Cholesterol 65mg 22% Sodium 3564mg 149% Total Carbohydrates 385g 128% Dietary Fiber 14g 55% Sugars 1g Protein 52g Vitamin A0%Vitamin C0% Calcium41%Iron36% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Does this look wrong? Ingredients

1. 4 cups white or whole wheat flour or half each
2. 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3. 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (optional)
4. 1/3 cup lard, coconut oil or shortening
5. 1 to 1-1/4 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. The baking powder is optional, but will make the tortillas lighter. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or fork; mix until crumbly.
2. Add enough water to form a soft dough. You may need to use a little more or less depending on your flour, just don’t get it too sticky. Knead the dough ball about 20 times. Let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal balls. Let balls rest on a sheet of wax paper or clean, well-floured surface while rolling the rest of the balls.
4. Roll each ball into a 6-7 inch diameter circle, spreading the dough as thinly as possible.
5. Carefully lift tortilla and place into a hot, dry skillet.
6. Cook 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until pan side is dry with a few brown spots. Flip and cook the second side in a similar manner.
7. Place the finished tortilla in a sealed container or large food storage bag. Repeat the process with the rest of the tortillas.

Notes

1. If I have room on the counter, I may roll out several of the tortillas before I start cooking, so I can keep them moving in and out of the pan quickly.
2. Whole wheat flour will also make the tortillas a little less flexible and likely to break, so it may be easier to work with white flour first and gradually add more whole wheat as you become more experienced.
3. The dough make be made up to 24 hours ahead and left to “soak” in a sealed container in the refrigerator for better digestibility. (Soaking reduces phytates.) Bring chilled dough to room temperature before rolling.

beta calories 2444 fat 73g protein 52g carbs 385g more Common Sense Homesteading http://ift.tt/1zQyHsW You may also enjoy:

• Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce – Great for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
• Homemade Baked Beans
• Cheesy Broccoli Soup with a Surprise Ingredient

<br /><br /><br /><br />Originally published in 2010, updated in 2016.
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