One way to make quick dinners is to wrap something – almost anything, really – in a tortilla. I keep tortillas on hand in the pantry, because they’re great for nights when I’m wondering what I’m going to fix.
Oh yes. I have those nights too, where I stand in front of the pantry and fridge surveying the contents. Some of my best recipes come from those forced cooking sessions.
Here’s how I create those recipes. I’m going to share my system so you can do the same thing. Some of you already cook this way, but for others, it’s a new experience.
Let’s say you’ve got a pack of tortillas handy. Knowing a quick meal can be pulled together using those, we’ll start there.
Next, check your fridge and freezer for any meat you may have. Leftover cooked chicken, ground beef or pork and even sausage can be used. For this meal, I chose Italian sausage. It doesn’t have to be Mexican to be wrapped in a tortilla. No rules here!
You’re also going to want cheese. Tortillas and cheese are like peanut butter and jelly. They belong together! For this recipe, I grabbed a block of Monterey Jack and started grating.
You could stop there if you wanted. Sausage and cheese would be filling all on it’s own. But since I had half a jalapeño and some frozen corn, I decided to add those. You could also use red or green bell peppers, onion, garlic, zucchini…let your imagination and pantry guide you.
Now it’s just a matter of deciding how to cook what you’ve got. This would make wonderful enchiladas. Just add a simple red sauce to the top and bake.
But I was in a hurry, so I chose to make quesadillas. Crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. Everyone loves these!
Sausage and Corn Quesadillas – a 15 Minute Meal
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 cup corn
- 1/2 jalapeño seeds removed and diced
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 8 - 10 Azteca tortillas
- oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook sausage over medium heat in a skillet until done.
- Add corn and jalapeño and heat through.
- Spread sausage/corn mix on one half of tortilla.
- Top with cheese and fold tortilla over.
- Cook over medium heat in large skillet or griddle until toasted on the outside.