Upside Down Beef Quesadilla

 

Upside Down Beef Quesadilla

There are days when "the usual" just will not do. Why not turn a regular ground beef taco into a classy quesadilla? It'll take a skillet, a wide sturdy spatula and lots and lots of cheese. You up for it?  Let's do this. 

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground chuck 

2 fire roasted green chiles, dices (ok, just get a can)

1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 handful shredded cheese per quesadilla

drizzles of vegetable or grape seed oil 

4 - 6 sturdy tortillas

Vegetable spray

salt and pepper

Chipotle chile powder or crushed red pepper flakes

This is a prep-easy meal. The hardest part of it all is chopping the onions and the fire roasted green chiles, if you go that route, for which I'd recommend Anaheim green chiles. *You would want to spray the long, green chiles gently with vegetable spray after washing, and roast them over an open flame if you have a gas stovetop. If not, roast on baking pan at 400-degrees for 18 minutes, 9 minutes per side.  Place the chiles in a bag (paper or plastic) for twenty to thirty minutes to allow the chiles to sweat and cool. Then, using your hand or a paper towel, wipe the burnt skin off of each chile.  Cut a T at the seed stem, clean out the seeds, and then dice. It's fun if you have the time and need to take your mind off of issues, but buying a can saves a lot of work and time. Your choice, and both are solid decisions. 

Keep the oven heating at 400-degrees!

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, the onion, green chiles and dried ingredients. Using your hands, your best kitchen tools, thoroughly incorporate the ingredients into the beef without over-mixing it. Pat the beef mixture down a bit and using the little finger side of your hand, score the beef into four equal parts. *Therefore, two pounds will make four quesadillas, six, if you use the beef sparingly. 🤨🤨🤨

Now, lay out a tortilla. Use your hand to scoop out one quarter of ground beef and spread over the tortilla as close the inner perimeter of the tortilla as possible, as shown below. Next, place the tortilla beef side down in a skillet over high heat that's been sprayed with vegetable spray and drizzled with oil.  You do not want this to stick! It's a mess if you do not really oil the skillet up. Fry the beef-tortilla until the beef releases.  Using a large flat spatula or two, flip the tortilla beef side up. This could take five or six minutes. 

Cook the beef five or six minutes.  It's a thin layer of beef, so it will not take long for the beef to release from the bottom of the skillet. The aroma (see that steam?) is going to smell incredible!

Next, place a good handful of cheese atop the beef and spread it around. Place the beefy tortilla on a foil lined, vegetable spray prepped baking sheet or pan. Place the tortilla (or two) into the preheated oven. The cheese will melt within about three-to-four minutes. Let it get a solid melt going. Remove the quesadillas (they are now, anyway) and add any additional quesadilla fillings, such as pickled jalapenos and chunky salsa, and then fold it in half.  Use a pizza cutter to cut into three triangular pieces. 

Two quesadillas on the baking sheet. Oh my goodness!

Now serve these up and have a great meal!  I love these, personally. So easy to make, filling, and above all, variable and ultimately DEEElicious!!!!

As Always, friends, Thank You for your time and visit to my humble site. I appreciate you very much!  Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!❤❤

~Martin

In-House Cook

How about serving Fruity Sangria with your upside down quesadillas, eh???  I used apples, blood oranges, grapefruit and blackberries, prosecco, grapefruit juice and 7-Up.  Easy!!!!  Delicious!!!

Yummy Yorkshire Pudding

 

Yummy Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding, like mashed potatoes, was a perfect side dish to beef roasts, pork roasts, and other meaty delicacies. I grew up having them on special occasions, such as when my dad scored a well-paying account, major birthdays and big family get-togethers. My mom would make them for my dad because it was one of his all-time favorites. Last Thursday, in honor of my spouse landing a big new job, I made a special celebratory dinner featuring huge ribeye steaks, stuffed baked potatoes and the star: Yorkshire Pudding. These easy to bake, scrumptious bread delights are not so much puddings (to Americans) as they are light bready muffin-like treats for the soul. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

Let me start by saying that I have made every effort to NOT write this recipe down. It is so special to me and to my heart.  

I'm lying.  I googled it.  

Carry on!

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 cup whole milk (shhh...I used 2%)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

*1/4 cup beef drippings, rendered pork drippings, unsalted butter (I used Duck fat)

*The important thing is that the eggs and milk must be room temperature. 

 

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.

*Be prepared to make six Yorkshire Puddings, so you want to carefully divide the drippings up into six equal parts.  Easier said than done unless you are a mathematician. I'm not, but I have a sharp eye for these things. I took a tip from a video and sprayed Vegetable oil into six muffin tin cups in a twelve cup tin to prevent the puddings from sticking. The drippings is supposed to prevent that, but, last time I made these at Christmas about ten years ago, my puddings stuck. Trust me, it's worth the spray. 

Now, add the dry ingredients to a medium bowl. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients.  Next, add the three eggs and the milk. *Remember, the milk and eggs must be room temperature. Now, whisk the mixture vigorously to make sure there are no lumps. You could use a hand mixer or blender if you prefer. The batter must be smooth is what's important. 

About this time, take the muffin tin out of the oven. Pour the mixture into a measuring cup or some other device with measurements. 

Carefully and Slowly add the mixture near to the top (the drippings will rise) and the mixture will begin to bubble and sizzle. It's fun to watch! If you see that, you Know you are doing it right!

I know you see seven cups, but that is because I made a little more than the recipe called for, just in case one got really messed up.  😅
 

Place the muffin tin in a foil lined baking pan in case of mixture or drippings spillage. 

Bake for 30 minutes. I have to say that the recipe I googled (really good, easy recipe, by-the-way!) stated to bake 20 minutes, but mine needed 30 minutes. Different ovens in different locations calibrate differently.  No stress; the idea, however, is to not open the oven while the puddings are baking.

Now for the reveal!

Question for you all.  What do you like to add to your Yorkshire Puddings? I like butter and honey.  I know some folks like to add gravy. I have even had butter, honey and powdered sugar with them long, long ago.  I know they are supposed to be a savory, but I think it is a truly flexible delight.

Folks, I truly appreciate your visit and your time. I know I have been inconstant in my blogging, but I am determined to be better and more diligent about it.  Thank YOU for sticking with me!

~ Martin

Your In-House Cook

The ribeyes I made that night. MMMM!

Me.  Martin