With a bold flavor as big as the West, this spin on classic Mexican favorite is a winner. Caramelized onions and slices of steak mingle with barbecue sauce and cheese to create an amazing combination of tastes.

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Western Quesadilla

With a bold flavor as big as the West, this spin on classic Mexican favorite is a winner. Caramelized onions and slices of steak mingle with barbecue sauce and cheese to create an amazing combination of tastes.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican, Southwestern

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large onion sliced
• 8 ounces steak cooked and sliced
• 3/4 cup queso fresco cheese shredded
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce
• diced jalapeno optional
• 4 flour tortillas
• taco sauce

Instructions

• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
• Add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When oil begins to shimmer add onion and cook until tender and onion begins to brown, about 8 minutes.
• Add sliced steak, stir and cook for a few minutes until steak is hot.
• Add barbecue sauce and stir to coat.
• Spread some taco sauce on the flour tortillas.
• Divide the steak and onion mixture evenly over half of the tortilla, followed by the cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla.
• Heat a second skillet over medium high heat.
• When hot, place the quesadilla in the skillet to toast, turning only once.
• Remove from heat and allow to stand for a few minutes before cutting.

Serve

• Serve with diced jalapeno, sour cream, guacamole, or any of your favorite toppings.

Notes

I used a left over steak from the night before to make this dish. This recipe makes 2 large quesadilla’s or about 4 servings.  Add as much or as little of anything you like to make it your way.

As a food blogger I continually strive to feature interesting and delicious dishes looking their best. Last night as I stood holding the door to the refrigerator open and pondering what I could prepare to share with you, all I could see were piles of storage containers and ramekins covered in cling wrap. The thought of making anything else that might add to this collection of left overs seemed ridiculous. While I enjoy preparing wonderful creative items to feature, I truly dislike being wasteful. The reality is that at our house, it ain’t always pretty.

I lined up the leftovers on the counter and assessed the situation. It appeared that we had more that enough for an ample buffet.  So I stacked some plates, rolled some silver, and voilà, dinner was served.

Yesterday was one of those days where things just did not go quite as planned. The day began in a normal peaceful manner. I enjoyed having my coffee and listening to the birds sing, catching up on the news, and working on a post to share. Knowing I had some errands to run that would keep me away most of the day, I planned on making a pizza for dinner. That would be easy. I knew I had some odds and ends to use up after having company last weekend. (Seems to always be the case after I feed a bunch of folks). I had a frozen pizza dough that I had made a few weeks ago in the freezer, so I moved it to the fridge where it would be waiting for me upon my return.

I decided to treat myself to a full service car wash. The long winter months, and my neglect had wreaked havoc on the interior of the car, so I felt justified with the expense of this lavish treat. Like a little kid, I ran from window to window to watch the car being pulled through the soapy roller-coaster of brushes. The sun danced on the glistening vehicle which seemed proud to be lined up in the parade of shiny cars waiting for their final detailing. As I stood watching the young people aerobically polish the cars from top to bottom, it appeared that mine was in the lane with the least ambitious employees on duty. With the wave of a towel a young man signaled that the car was ready. But wait! They did not vacuum! The main purpose of this visit!  After a conversation with the crew leader, they made good and completed the detailing, but my quick trip to the car wash had now turned into more than an hour.

Across town I got stuck in traffic for another hour, only to find that the roads were completely closed where I was trying to go.  By now the day had turned to late afternoon and my last good nerve was shot. It was right then that I made the corporate decision to head home and have an icy cold beer.

Back in the safety of my kitchen, with an adult beverage in hand, I was able to think about the pizza.

Making pizza at home is an easy and cost-effective way to use up the “odds and ends” in the fridge, giving new life to leftovers that might otherwise be overlooked. I can almost always find ingredients that can be used for toppings without a trip to the store. By shredding that small bit of chicken or roast, thinly slicing the last part of a steak, or crumbling up a grilled burger from the night before, there is very little that can not be reborn on a pizza. Remember a small amount goes along way. Six to eight ounces of meat on a pizza is plenty, the goal here is to use up the last bits.

I found in my fridge, one grilled hamburger patty, a bit of red and green pepper previously prepped for a salad, some onion, four mushrooms and cheese. Perfect!

I rolled out my thawed pizza dough and spread about three tablespoons of red sauce edge to edge using the back of my spoon. I keep a jar of prepared pasta sauce in the fridge just for this purpose. Next I sprinkled my ingredients evenly over the pie, finishing it off with the cheese.

Pizza cooks best in a hot oven, 425° F. Make sure the oven is hot before you place your pizza. Bake it for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

At the table I don’t think anyone you serve your pizza to would know that it was a leftover (unless you want them to), and what a simple way to make an easy, delicious, and nutritious dinner.