Cheese Quesadillas with Hot Peppers

These restaurant-quality quesadillas might have world's shortest ingredient list: tortillas, Mexican cheese, taco seasoning, hot peppers. But that flavor - it explodes! So much happens in such a short time, with 4 ingredients. The tortillas become perfectly toasty, the cheese melts into gooey splendor, and the seasoning perfumes every bite. And those hot peppers... since they're added on the side, this family-friendly treat pleases the entire clan!

Make sure you bookmark this recipe for gameday and Netflix binging (or Amazon Prime Video, or Showtime, or Hulu, or whatever compels you to remain on the couch for WAY TOO LONG). No need to look away from the screen when you eat with your hands.

About the tortillas: Check this out - I decided to use burrito-size tortillas this time. Why? Because I wanted to make BIG quesadillas; so I wouldn't have to stand over the stove as long. My laziness paid off big time! Not only did I get massive quesadillas to serve more people, I forgot that burrito-size tortillas are slightly thinner than the other tortillas (like fajita and street taco). The thinner tortillas cooked up toasty and chewy, and it was the perfect ratio of tortilla to cheese. That's why I said these are "restaurant-quality". They are JUST LIKE the quesadillas you order out.

About the cheese: I used a store-bought Mexican cheese blend. Mine had shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and queso quesadilla cheeses. The blends are fabulous because they have the perfect ratio of sharpness and meltability. If you use all melty cheese (like Monterey Jack), the quesadillas will be bland. If you use all cheddar, the quesadillas will be greasy. Blends solve that problem, giving you assertive flavor and gooeyness at the same time. Any brand/variety will work here. If you want to make your own blend, try any combination of cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper jack, asadero, oaxaca, mozzarella, cotija, queso quesadilla, and chihuahua.

About the hot peppers: I used another store-bought item here, and it was more of a giardiniera than simply hot peppers. It had serrano and jalapeno peppers, red bell pepper, celery, carrots, cauliflower, and green olives - all marinated together in olive oil (so even the oil had hints of fiery peppers and sweet vegetables). That flavor medley completely transformed these quesadillas. And talk about fusion: Mexican quesadilla + Italian condiment. Trust me on this one. Just do it.

Cheese Quesadillas with Hot Peppers
Note: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for entertaining. 

Olive or vegetable oil for brushing the griddle or grill pan
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (see note above)
2 teaspoons taco seasoning, plus more for sprinkling over top before serving
1/2 cup hot cherry peppers or giardiniera for serving (see note above)
Cilantro leaves for serving, optional

Brush a stovetop griddle or grill pan with the oil and preheat to medium-high.
Arrange the tortillas on the hot pan (work in 2 batches if you have to, so you don't crowd the cooking surface). Top one half of the tortillas with cheese - 1/2 cup each. Fold over the untopped side and press down slightly. When the bottom is golden brown, flip and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese melts.
Slice the quesadillas into wedges and transfer to a serving platter. If you're cooking a second batch, cover the finished quesadillas with foil.
Sprinkle a little more taco seasoning over top. Top with cilantro leaves (if using) and serve with the hot peppers/giardiniera on the side.

Serves 4