Baked Mushroom and Zucchini Quesadillas with Cool Cilantro Lime Pesto

There is hardly a bad time for quesadillas.  They can be the all-so-necessary in-between daytime snack, or a satisfying dinner.   Typically, you’re only option is cheese.   This is where the record starts skipping.   Sure it’s simple, but you can only enjoy processed cheese for so long.  If you are lucky, maybe you will also get some chicken thrown in there too.   But do not fret!  As the greenery in the produce section diversifies and multiplies, now is the time to add vegetables to everything – even your quesadillas.  Turn the record over; we’ve got a new song to play.

For this particular batch of quesadillas I chose portabella mushrooms for their meaty taste.  Zucchini was more of a frugally driven choice.  Besides corn, it’s one of the cheapest items in produce during the summer.   Carrots or bell peppers have potential as well.  

What really sets these quesadillas apart is the cilantro lime pesto.  I know I have been on a pesto kick recently, but for good reason.  No hassle, great taste.  It’s like buying quality products for half price!  This pesto – which I served cold – gave great contrast to the taste and texture.  So if you find yourself stalling out on plain old cheese quesadillas, there is hope.  Just add pesto, and presto!  You have yourself an old tune with a new twist. 

Cilantro Lime Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup cilantro, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped

Zest of one lime

Juice of one lime

Salt

Enough olive oil to reach desired texture

Instructions:

1.       In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients.  Blend until you have reached desired consistency. 

Makes about ¾ cup.

Mushroom and Zucchini Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, sliced

2 cups portabella mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 ½ cups Monterey, Cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese, shredded

4-6 whole wheat tortillas (depending on how you portion)

Optional: Sour cream or salsa

Instructions:

1.       Heat a frying pan over medium heat, until you can feel heat.  Add 2 T olive oil.

2.       Add in zucchini and mushrooms (may have to add mushrooms first, then zucchini if space does not allow both – just don’t crowd the vegetables!) Sautee for about 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but not soft.  Remove from pan.  Keep pan warm if you wish to fry your quesadilla and not bake it.

3.       Spread pesto on tortilla (or if you want to keep the pesto cold, skip this). 

4.       Layer vegetables and cheese on tortilla.  Either fry or bake your quesadilla (I did mine in the toaster oven).

5.       If you have not added the pesto, add it now.  Slice the tortilla in quarters.  Serve with sour cream salsa, more cheese, etc.

Mexican Chicken Stacks

There is no such thing as Mexi-can’t food.   There is only Mexican.   Cheesy? Yes.  But there must be something about the word, “Mexican”.  Put it in front of any other type of food and it’s as if you can’t go wrong.  It reminds me of good mash-up music.  Overlay two separate things and somehow it becomes a perfect union.  How else could Mexican lasagna, Mexican burgers, Mexican ice cream, or Mexican pizza work so well? With a best friend visiting for the weekend, it was time for my own Mexican mash-up. 

I started with a slice of warm cornbread right from the oven.   This would be my cornerstone – I could build from here.  Cheese acted as the melty mortar for my Mexican stack.  Then brick-red Chili Tomato Sauce added a touch of crimson color and a fiery heat.  But I was careful to cool things down before they burned down the house.  The Lime-Grapefruit marinated chicken and even a few slices of avocado would be perfect touches.  Finally, I added the arugula, which made for a peppery, crunchy roof for this now towering Mexican Chicken Stack.   

Each bite was a symphony of flavors.  A full chorus of tastes and textures sang wildly as I dug through my stack.  It looked much like a deconstructed Taco Casserole, but tasted so much more gourmet.  I could taste every different section of the stack on its own, but all the parts worked so harmoniously with the whole.  I would recommend this to anyone who craves freshness and values making food from scratch. 

Mexican Chicken Stacks

- The layering really depends on your preference.  Mine went as follows: cornbread, cheese, tomato sauce, chicken, and arugula.  However, next time I think that I would switch the chicken and arugula and add avocado slices or sour cream to the very top.  I have also considered adding chipotle peppers to the Chili Tomato Sauce.  I have included my recipes for the Chili Tomato Sauce and the Lime-Grapefruit Chicken.  The cornbread I used was from Smitten Kitchen.  There is lots of room for variation in this recipe, so be creative!

Chili Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

½ cup onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

4 T ground chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper, ground

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, diced (do not drain)

1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:

1.        Heat a large pot over medium heat until hot, add oil. 

2.       Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or at least until onions are translucent.

3.       Add garlic; continue to sauté over medium heat for about 3 more minutes. 

4.       Add chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper.   Stir until aromatic – about 1 minute. 

5.       Add tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. 

6.       Reduce temperature to medium heat. 

7.       Reduce the sauce down by about half, or until the sauce thickens (about 15-20 minutes).

Lime-Grapefruit Chicken

Ingredients:

Juice of 2 limes

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 1 grapefruit

1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

Salt and pepper

Sugar or honey, to taste

Jalapeno, finely diced

2 green onions, finely sliced

2 chicken thigh and leg quarters, bone-in

Instructions:

1.       Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. 

2.       Use half of the marinade to add to the chicken; reserve the other half for a sauce for the chicken after it has been cooked.

3.       Marinade chicken for at least 30 minutes.   

4.       Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350˚ F.

5.       Bake chicken until juices run clear, about 30 minutes. 

6.       Remove chicken from bone, and shredding it.

7.       In a medium sized bowl, add the reserved marinade to the cooked chicken and refrigerate, covered, until ready to eat (up to one day).   

Spicy Thai Pesto

Traditional Italian Basil Pesto is made up of an iconic family:  Italian basil (many people assume this to be the one and only type of basil), pine nuts (nearly as expensive as pearls), and Parmesan, (basically a brand in itself).  Coming from that sort of lineage, how could Italian Pesto not be delicious?  

Spicy Thai Pesto grew up on the other side of the train tracks.  Thai Basil’s licorice scent didn’t attract too many of the ladies and Thai chilies don’t necessarily play well with others.  But smoothed out by the cool nature cilantro and mint, this pesto starts out cool and fresh, packs heat.   So for those of you not wanting to bring the heat, scale down your chilies.  Many would say a pesto without cheese is sacrilege, but I didn’t find it to detract from the overall taste.  I didn’t even use peanuts this time, only because I did not have any.  But they would add body to the mix, and add filler to stretch your pesto further.  

This Spicy Thai Pesto is a smooth, cool operator at the beginning, but be careful – he bites.  Use this pesto as a spread for crackers and sandwiches, a dip for fresh veggies or bread, or a marinade for fish and chicken.  When traditional pesto is too stuffy or too overdone, Thai Basil is sure to “kick it up a notch”.   

(And it is good 'til the last bite...as the photo shows.  Couldn't capture it before I ate it all!)

Spicy Thai Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup thai basil, roughly chopped and packed

½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

¼ cup mint, roughly chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely sliced

4 Thai chilies, chopped

½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

½ tsp sesame oil

1 T salt

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup olive or canola oil

Instructions:

1.       Prep all ingredients. 

2.       Put ingredients into blender, food processor, or mortar.  Blend (or grind with pestle) until smooth.

3.       Eat immediately or save in fridge until later. 

Makes about 1 cup.

The Jalapeno, Lime, and CilanTrio: 3 Different Dips Using the Same Three Ingredients

I love a bargain as much as the next guy, but some cheap things must be bought on principle.  Take, for example, an $8 deep fryer we found at a thrift store.  Sure, it’s not going to produce anything overtly healthy (so far we have fried tortillas, pickles, saltines, and beignets – no regrets so far); but at least by the end of exams, your brain won’t be the only thing breaded and fried.  

Our deep fryer was full of possibility, easily outdoing any dorm’s vending machine as the best junk food machine around.  Some were skeptical – “What are you going to do with it?” Better question, what were we NOT going to do with it.  Visions of sugarplum fairies have nothing on beer-battered shrimp, crispy fried chicken, or fried dough.  Soft corn tortillas, the precursor to a perfect dipping vessel, were on sale for about $3 a package of 30, so we picked one up.  When we returned home, and cut each individual tortilla into 4 slices, we realized we had way more than a lot of chips. 

A ritual was born: finish an exam or paper, and then start up the deep fryer.  The reserve brain power we had left was enough to absently plop soft tortillas into our cauldron of scalding oil and watch them emerge as hot, honey-golden crisps.  After a quick sprinkle of salt, they offered the perfect salty crunch to kick started our fading minds.  But we weren’t finished yet.  We wanted something to go with it… Chips + dips=bliss. (Unfortunately, I saw none of these equations on my finals)

The fridge revealed a Mexican powerhouse trio: jalapeno, lime and cilantro.  Initially, we had planned on having guacamole and salsa on separate nights.  But with the copious chip count, we wanted both.  We upped the ante, added hummus to the dip list, and made all three for dinner.  Each incorporated the three fresh ingredients, but had a uniquely defined character.  Arranged elegantly on a long plate, we treated ourselves to velvety guacamole, vibrant salsa, and creamy hummus.  Served cold, it was the kind of meal you could enjoy when it’s too hot for anything heavy.   Although we had it as a dinner, it would also be an excellent appetizer before a meal of grilled chicken or flank steak. 

Guacamole 

Ingredients:

2 avocados, mashed

1 lime, juiced

¾ cup cilantro, finely diced 

½ small onion, diced

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 tsp salt (to taste)

¼ tsp cumin

Instructions:

1.       Mash avocados into a paste. 

2.       Mix in the rest of the ingredients, and chill.  Place plastic wrap over the guacamole (even when in a sealed container) to preserve freshness and color.

Makes about 2 cups. 

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:

1 (14.5 oz) can organic tomatoes, diced

1 large tomato, seeded and diced

½ red onion, finely diced

½ cup corn, frozen but brought to room temperature

1 (14.5 oz) can black beans

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.       Mix together all ingredients.  Serve chilled. 

Makes about 4 cups.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients:

1 (14.5 oz) can garbanzo beans, reserve drained liquid

1 T tahini

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Lime juice

Cumin

Salt

Instructions:

1.       Remove as many skins from beans as possible. 

2.       Place beans into food processor or blender.  Blend, adding reserve bean liquid when needed.   Should come out looking like a thick, beige paste. 

3.       Add tahini, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro to blender. 

4.       Season with lime juice, cumin, and salt.

Heat It Up, but Don’t Lose Your Cool: Summer Chili

In my family’s house, summer chili usually refers to putting on the air conditioning. Alright, that was a groaner. But you learn to love it – chili in the summer I mean. Chili might have a reputation to show up on your table during bone-chillingly cold winter nights, where you need food to stick to your sides and keep you warm. Yet, with such a variety of ways to make chili why confine it to one season? Can’t one still enjoy the standard culmination of tomatoes, beans, beef and chili powder in the summer? I say, yes.

Tonight’s chili featured a special guest, orzo. And not just any orzo, but Parpardelle’s Southwestern Orzo, which incorporated Indian maize, black bean and chili flavors in the orzo.

Once I finally brought it to the table, I was salivating like a hungry dog waiting for a juicy bone. I’ve watched and stirred it over a smoldering burner for hours. Now that it’s in front of me, it’s like majesty in a bowl: bottom layer lined with orzo, on top is a mountain of chunky chili, followed by finely shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkled with cilantro. My spoon is buzzing in my hand, like a spaceship ready for takeoff. It crashes in the chili, but returns to home base with an amazing crew. Chili powder and cumin are the first to land on my taste buds, making way for the burst of juicy tomato. Then I am greeted by the heartier, filler characters: beans, beef and orzo. My mouth is happily getting to know everyone, when a warm undertone slips in: cayenne pepper. The heat it delivers is slight, not the kind to set your mouth on fire, but enough to rosy your cheeks. Now that’s a complete guest list.

Whether it’s your Fourth of July party, or just a neighborhood get-together, don’t cross chili off the list of possibilities.

Beef and Bean Chili with Orzo

Ingredients:

3 cans [28 oz] whole, peeled tomatoes, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

½ green pepper, diced

About ¼ cup chili powder

About 1 tsp cumin

About 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

1 can [15 oz] kidney beans

1 can [15 oz] plain baked beans

Instructions:

1. Dice tomatoes, cutting out pits and skins. Put into large pot over medium low heat.

2. Brown hamburger in skillet over medium high heat.

3. Drain off grease/fat into glass container. Place meat on newspaper and paper towels to soak up any remaining grease/fat.

4. Dice onions and peppers, mince garlic. Cook in same skillet over medium high heat until onions have turned translucent.

5. Add meat back in. Season with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. [Make sure you taste!]

6. Add meat mixture into pot of tomatoes, along with the two cans of beans.

7. Cook for about 3 hours, or until thickened, over low to medium low heat, stirring at least every 30 minutes.

8. Chili should turn out thickened and chunky.

9. Can be stored overnight in fridge. Once served you can add anything from cheddar cheese, cilantro, saltine crackers, sour cream, orzo, spaghetti, or rice to it – it’s all delicious in its own unique way.