I love quesadillas.
Who doesn’t love quesadillas though, right? It’s like a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich, but somehow better than a grilled cheese sandwich. Kids love em. Adults love em. I suppose someone who doesn’t like cheese probably wouldn’t like them, but… I don’t understand how someone can’t like cheese, so there ya go. It’s like not liking chocolate… *shudder*
These quesadillas are easy to make and fast, but they taste like restaurant quesadillas and fajitas in one. In other words, really really good.
I used shrimp for these, but you can use chicken, beef, etc. Whatever meat you chose, you cook it in enchilada sauce. I use my own homemade enchilada sauce (also easy to make), but you can use the canned stuff if you want.
Fajita Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas
(serves 2)
- 6 oz.(approximately) small to medium size shrimp (raw, de-veined, and peeled)
- 1 1/2 c. enchilada sauce
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 c. shredded Colby and Monterrey Jack cheese (any kind of shredded cheese is fine)
- 4 soft taco size flour tortillas (or 2 burrito size tortillas)
- salsa, sour cream, and guacamole for serving (optional)
- Chop shrimp into small pieces. Add the shrimp and enchilada sauce to a bowl. Mix until shrimp is well coated. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over med-high to high heat. Add oil. Add onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Let cook for about a minute without stirring. After a minute begin stirring around. Continue cooking on high heat until vegetables become tender, browned, and even a little blackened in places. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from heat.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp and enchilada sauce to skillet. Saute until shrimp is cooked through. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Discard leftover enchilada sauce.
- Heat a clean non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray.
- Place one tortilla in the skillet. On top of the tortilla, spread 1/4 c. cheese, 1/2 the veggie mixture, and then another 1/4 c. cheese, in that order. Place another tortilla on top, and gently press the tortilla down with a spatula.
[note: If using burrito size tortillas, place cheese and veggies on one half of the tortilla, then fold over the other half and press it down.] - After the bottom of the tortilla has browned and the cheese is melting (3 – 4 minutes), carefully flip the quesadilla. Brown on the remaining side another 3 – 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board, and cut into fourths. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, and veggie mixture.
- Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
