Sometimes I miss waiting tables and serving drinks. In my busiest moments at the restaurant, my thoughts were consumed with the tasks at hand. I furiously filled drink orders, slinging ice into shiny glasses and pouring liquor by the count in my head, steady as a metronome. I crossed the patio with three drinks in one hand and a water pitcher in the other. I ran to the back to change a keg and dragged the old one out like I had a million times before. My arms were stronger then.
There is satisfaction in a hard day’s work. My shifts were filled with smiles and thank you’s and inside jokes with my fellow waitresses in the corner. Each exchange came with instant gratification because I earned a little something for each drink delivered. At the end of the day, I left work with a wad of money in my wallet and kicked my feet up on the coffee table. I went home and I was done.
Instant gratification is built into blogging, too. I think that’s a significant part of its appeal; clicking publish and receiving near-instant feedback from fellow bloggers and loyal readers is just the best. Your comments, facebook likes and tweets make my day, every day. I also adore the cooking and food photography sides of food blogging—they get me up and moving, chopping vegetables and hopping onto chairs to snap photos. Even though I’m never really “done” at the end of the day when it comes to blogging (there is always more to do), blogging (and all that it encompasses) is what I love to do.
Sometimes, especially on days when I’ve been working all day in front of the computer screen, I procrastinate by daydreaming of a more physically active occupation. I think to myself that I’d rather go home physically tired than mentally drained. I wonder if I should quit my day job to waitress again so I could devote more of my thinking time to this blog. Then I remember the necessity of health insurance and stability, and I shudder at the thought of getting splashed with someone else’s dirty dishwasher. Surely some of you can relate?
Since I’m not going to change my situation in the foreseeable future, I suppose I’ll tell you about these quesadillas. Oh, these quesadillas! Quesadillas are my go-to lazy lunch or dinner for one, but these quesadillas are something special. They’re stuffed with vegetables and greens (and cheese, of course), as well as creamy slices of ripe avocado.
All that said, the quesadilla’s true pièce de résistance is the irresistibly crispy side produced when cheese sizzles between the tortilla and the hot skillet. If your quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches have ever leaked cheese out the edge and that cheese has, in effect, fried against the tortilla or bread, you know just how heavenly that super crispy cheese can be. My dad mentioned the other day that my grandmother used to use this method for grilled cheese sandwiches, so I like to think that we both discovered the trick on our own, two generations apart. I’d say the taste preference for crispy cheese must be genetic, but let’s get real: who in her right mind doesn’t like crispy cheese?!
The bottom line here is that these cheesy-crispy-creamy quesadillas would be perfect as Super Bowl finger food, or for tomorrow’s lunch. If you want to change these up with different fillings down the road, I do suggest retaining the avocado in the middle and the crispy, cheesy side. They really take the quesadilla from ordinary to irresistible.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- salt
- 8 to 10 ounces cremini mushrooms (AKA baby bellas), thinly sliced
- 6 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 small lime, juiced
- 2 1/2 cups shredded raw Jack or cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 Avocados from Mexico, cut into thin slices
- 4 medium whole wheat tortillas
- jarred red salsa
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add chopped red onion and a dash of salt, stirring occasionally, until the onions are turning translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and turning golden, about 6 minutes. Add half of the spinach mixture, let it wilt a little, and then add the second. Cook until spinach is wilted and the mixture is dry, 2 to 3 minutes or longer. Season with salt and pepper and a splash of lime juice. Remove from heat.
- Divide 1 cup shredded cheese between the 4 quesadillas, covering only half of each tortilla with cheese. Divide the spinach and mushroom mixture evenly on top of the cheese on each quesadilla, then top with avocado slices. Top all of that with 1 cup shredded cheese, divided equally between the 4 quesadillas. Press the empty tortilla halve over the toppings.
- Heat a medium to large skillet (preferably cast iron) on the stove over medium heat. Place one quesadilla (or two, if they fit) into the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then flip carefully with a spatula. Immediately sprinkle some of the remaining cheese over the hot sides of the quesadillas, and let it melt as the other side cooks for a few minutes. Flip each quesadilla, and let the cheese sizzle into the quesadilla for a couple of minutes. Flip and cook the other side for a couple more minutes if necessary, until both sides are a nice, crisp golden brown. Let the quesadillas cool on a cutting board for a few minutes, then slice each quesadilla into three slices using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife. Serve with salsa.
Before you fire up that skillet, though, I want to let you all know about a big giveaway! Avocados from Mexico has teamed up with six food bloggers (myself included) to give away a total of six super awesome Game Day Sweepstakes Prize Packages!
I don’t even like football but I would most definitely love to win one of these six packages. Each prize package contains:
- 16 GB iPad2 and a $100 gift card compliments of AFM
- 5-speed hand blender from KitchenAid
- Cloth tortilla warmer, lemon/lime squeezer, and tortilla press from IMUSA
- Signed Muy Bueno Cookbook
Enter to win via Cookie and Kate on the Avocados from Mexico site to qualify for the sweepstake items.
Use this link to enter the Game Day Sweepstakes for your Cookie and Kate entry from 12:00 AM January 21 to 11:59 PM January 27.
For 4 total opportunities to win, visit each of the food bloggers’ sites on the dates listed below and enter via the Game Day Sweepstakes links on their blogs.
- Cookie and Kate and Taste and Tell (12:00 AM January 21 to 11:59 PM January 27)
- Muy Bueno Cookbook and Fritos and Foie Gras (12:00 AM January 28 to 11:59 PM February 3)
- Note: Giveaways hosted by the lovely FoodieCrush and Scarletta Bakes have already closed.
The winner of the Cookie and Kate sweepstakes prize package will be announced on this post within 24 hours after the game on Super Bowl Sunday. Winner must reply within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
Entries made via the comment section on this site will not be considered. All participants must register on the AFM site to qualify for the sweepstake items. Enter here, valid in the U.S.A. only.
Update 2/5/13: Thank you to all who entered! The lucky winner is Vicki. Best of luck in future giveaways.
Disclosure: This sponsored post is part of the Avocados from Mexico – Game Day Sweepstakes. This is a working partnership with Avocados from Mexico and Muy Bueno Cookbook.
64 Comments
I think I just found my dinner for tonight!! These look so good I can’t wait to try them. All the ingredients I love, and I love “fried cheese” (there’s a restaurant I go to nearby that actually has fried cheese on the menu, and a lot of people go in just for that!).
Oh boy, I wouldn’t be able to pass up that fried cheese. Yum.
These quesadillas look so tasty, Kate! I think this will be dinner quite soon :).
Ah, I can relate to so much of this. The instant gratification of serving, restaurant work in general, food blogging, photography, social media… they all have lasting rewards too. I’ve stepped away from serving a bunch of times, and always find myself missing it. Your body does feel stronger when you’re doing it too!
Love your avo+quesadilla move too. So great.
You get me, Laura. I’m glad we’re friends. :)
I am incapable of resisting the temptation of any type of quesadillas! I have to try this! Avocados are on sale in Shop Rite this week too!! =)
Sounds like these quesadillas are meant to be! If you have any leftover avocados, I have a ton of other avocado recipes for you on this site.
Oh haaaaave mercy.
These quesadillas look fabulous!!!! oh my goodness! love this
The quesadillas look delicious!
The link to the Taste and Tell blog did not work for me.
Thanks for letting me know about the incorrect URL, Jill. Taste and Tell’s blog is http://www.tasteandtellblog.com.
These are making my mouth water like whoa. Awesome recipe!
Thanks, Katrina!
I have a day job where the gratification is definitely not instant and I think that’s part of why blogging appealed so much to me in the first place. It gives you so many little smiles throughout the day!
So true, Joanne! I wonder how many extra times I smile a day because of my blog. A lot, I’m sure. Glad you can relate. :)
Food Porn Torture! These look soooo good. I’m back on the cheese wagon for Super Bowl! I want these in my belly :)
Woohoo! Can’t wait to eat cheesy things with you soon. It’s been too long! Hope you guys had a fun weekend.
Can not wait to try this-love, love, love quesadillas.
Yuuum! Look at that crisp, get down with it!
these sounds awesome!! entered the giveaway – those are pretty amazing prizes.
Good luck in the giveaway! I’d love to win that set of prizes.
Oh my goodness, I could probably eat one of these every single day of my life. I love the combination of ingredients!
What an amazing giveaway! I used to love how much I would run around when I worked in food service. I didn’t notice how much weight I lost then now quickly tacked back on when I switched to blogging and a computer based job. But you are right the instant gratification of feedback is amazing and totally worth it. The crucnchy mushrooms with the creamy avocado sounds to die for!!!
This was good and so easy to make for one.
Thanks, Melissa! Glad you enjoyed the quesadillas.
Mmmm these look so good. ALL of your recipes look so good! And yes, sometimes it’s nice to feel simply physically exhausted. It does have that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction…
I sometimes daydream about doing something more active and people-oriented, like waiting tables, but I too do return to the realities of insurance and steady salaries and all those other grown-up things. Too bad there’s not an easier answer! But these quesadillas probably do a pretty good job of easing the pain! I go through several avocados a week!
Wow, those look super yummy. Not being American, I’ve never watched the Super Bowl in my life. Now that I (temporarily) live in the States, I somehow managed to book a flight for exactly that night, so no Super Bowl again :) Ah well, those quesadillas will be good for any dinner!
Oh well, I don’t think you’ll miss too much! You could share these quesadillas with friends any time for a similar effect. :)
Kate – I could have written this. I’m an ex-server gone desk monkey who also blogs about food (and my dog!) and I could not agree more with the instant gratification piece. My blog is still baby fresh, but it brings me so much joy to just write about my day, my life, my food. I hope I can share some of that joy with others, and someday get out of the endless cycle of staring at a computer screen at work all day. Until then, blog away!
Oh, yum! One of my resolutions this year was to wean myself off meat and this recipe will definitely help.
These look great!
Oh yum can’t wait to try this.. I live for avacados
I’m hungry- looks wonderful. We love avocados at my house!
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try them.
Yes, totally relate to the physically tired/mentally tired career dilemma. If only there was a secure career that was a mixture of both! Quesadillas are our go-to lazy meal (that and eggs with toast) – I love the filler combo you chose. I’ll be making these this week!
This looks and sounds amazing! Another great one…I think I could go vegetarian reading your content! Great post!
Those quesadillas look delicious!
These look great
Mushrooms and spinach smothered with melted cheese? Yes please!
I sure can relate to the health insurance/stability issue…in a perfect world I’d be home all day making bread and soup (and these quesadillas! they look incredible!) and writing recipes, but at least I can console myself by browsing good blogs on my work breaks!
I must admit, I am somewhat addicted to the instant gratification – it’s so nice! But, I was a barista for ten years, and some days miss it terribly. There was so much movement and feeling of accomplishment. Then again, I don’t miss the stained shirts and smelling like burnt coffee grounds and soup 24-7, either. :)
Your quesadillas look delicious!
I totally relate to your love-hate relationship with food/drink service, Sarah! Hope you’re doing well.
Kate, This looks delicious and I’m so happy to see a non-meat based SuperBowl dish! Hooray. In the interest of full disclosure, I don’t know the first thing about football and I don’t have the patience to actually sit through a game that long– but I’m always up for gatherings with close friends, especially where there’s great food, awesome drinks and wonderful conversation…so a Super Bowl party I will go! With these in tow! (Bad rhyming scheme, sorry!). Best.
I feel the same way about football, Batya. I’d love to “watch” the game with you—and by that, I mean, eat, drink and be merry while the game is on!
This looks amazing Kate!!
Just made them, so easy and tasty! Thank youuuu :) love your blog
Thanks, Laura! So glad you enjoyed the quesadillas. Have a great weekend.
Your pictures are stunning and the quesadilla looks so good that I am making it for lunch, immediately :) My vegetarian daughter always complains that I don’t pin enough amazing vegetarian foods. I am correcting that with this recipe. Thank you!
Hi Kate! Your blog is fantastic. We loooove quesadillas and this recipe looks perfect. Brings together delicious flavors that will melt this cold weather away!
Just found your blog and put it on my Google home page. Looking forward to getting to know you!
Thank you for commenting, Connie! Hope you enjoy my posts. Please do let me know if you try any of the recipes.
Made these twice last week. They were great! Your recipe was so easy to follow. I love Quesadillas but had never made them.
Thanks, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the quesadillas. I make quesadillas all the time when I’m cooking for one—I just throw in veggies and beans and whatever else I have in the fridge!
Has the winner been announced?
Thanks
Good question. Yes, I notified the winner (Vicki) yesterday morning. I will be hosting another big giveaway in a post published later today, if you’d like to enter. Best of luck!
Kate, this is so delicious with a simple ingredients. Really clean eating and I can eat like this everyday. Thanks!
Yumm, I made a slightly varied version of these last night as a scrumptious, pre-dinner snack.
Great recipe! I love your idea of melting cheese on the outside. These turned out delicious! I also loved your sweet potato and black bean enchilada recipe.
Thank you, Lisa! Melting cheese on the outside of quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches is one of my favorite little tricks. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes.
These are SO delicious! I added some diced tomatoes, red bell peppers and black beans to make it a hearty meal. Thanks for the recipe and for your beautiful website – what a great layout of colorful pictures. I’ll be back!
Thank you, Linda! Your additions sound great. Please let me know how my other recipes turn out for you!
Wow! I couldn’t imagine how the quesadilla could be improved but you did it. These are great!
Thanks, Terri!
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