The Freshman Cook: Beef and Cheese Quesadilla w/ Pico de Gallo, Guacamole and Baked Chips

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This is always a happy, fun day at our house, because we love any reason to celebrate and eat Mexican food! The Holiday Recipe Club is also celebrating today, so it’s party, party, party!!! I chose tomatoes as my ingredient this time around, and nothing says tomatoes and yummy, like pico de gallo. I rounded out this meal with a Steak and Cheese Quesadilla, a fresh bowl of guacamole, and some home baked chips! Have a great Day!

Pico De Gallo

3 Roma Tomatoes

1 small Onion

1/2 Serrano Chili

1/2 cup fresh Cilantro

1 tablespoon Lime Juice

11/2 teaspoon Salt

Cut your tomatoes in half.

Cut each half into 8 strips.

Chop all the strips into diced tomatoes.

Dice your onion, by cutting it in half, slicing it down,

and then chopping the slices.

My onion pics did not turn out, sorry.

Cut your serrano pepper down the middle, lengthwise.

Remove all the seeds and membrane by running

the pepper under cold water. Remember that the pepper

transfers to your hands, so don’t touch your eyes 

until you wash your hands.

Cut the half of the chili into 4 strips.

Place the strips right next to each other, and chop 

the strips into tiny diced pieces.

Mix everything in a bowl.

Pull the cilantro leaves off the stem, roll them together,

and chop. Add to bowl.

Roll the lime around on the counter, under your hand.

This loosens up the pulp, and helps the juices flow.

Cut in half, and squeeze out your lime juice.

Add to bowl and stir.

Add salt now, if you want. I don’t add it, and I think it

is delicious!

Let sit for about an hour at room temperature.

This will let all the flavors infuse into a delicious dish.

Baked Tortilla Chips

 Pan spray

2 Flour Tortillas

Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 Fold your tortilla in half, and cut each half into six chips.

Spray a baking pan with pan spray. Place each 

cut tortilla chip on the pan with a little space

between each one. Very lightly spray

pan spray over chips. Sprinkle with garlic powder.

If you would like to add salt, now is the time.

Bake at for 8-10 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

Easy Guacamole

1 Avocado

1/4 -1/2 Pico de Gallo

1 tablespoon Sour Cream

1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Cut a fresh, ripe avocado in half, around.

Remove the seed.

You want your avocado soft to the touch, but not too soft.

They can go from good to bad in no time.

Scoop the avocado out with a spoon, and smush down 

with a fork in the bowl. (Yes, smush is a technical, culinary term).

Add the pico de gallo, sour cream, and lemon juice.

Mix well. This should be made right before serving.

You can refrigerate it for a very short time(30 minutes)

but it taste its best when eaten right after being made.

Beef and Chicken Quesadilla

 1/2 pound Sirloin Steak

Shredded Fiesta Blend Cheese

Onion

2 Flour Tortillas

Slice your steak down into wafer thin pieces.

Place the meat on your cutting board, and tenderize

with a meat mallet. Then turn the meat over and do it

on the other side.

Cut your onion into slices.

Pan fry the steak. It will need to be turned

over a couple times to be done.

You can make a half a quesadilla or a whole. To make a half,

 just sprinkle the quesadilla with cheese, top with steak and 

onion on half and fold. 

When you fry, just fry half then flip 

to other side.

To make a whole quesadilla, place the tortilla with cheese 

and meat in the bottom of the frying pan. Cook bottom until brown,

and then flip entire quesadilla over. I did this by 

flipping the quesadilla onto a plate and then sliding it back 

into the pan.

Cut quesadilla into 8 pieces and serve.

Top with sour cream and guacamole,

salsa and chips on the side.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Check out what other Holiday Recipe Club members made today:

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