Goat Cheese - Sun Dried Tomato - Corn Quesadillas

Today brings a simpler meal in contrast to the risotto I wrote about last time. I had been craving a quesadilla for a long time and the purchase of a new Foreman grill with quesadilla plates seemed to make it the perfect time to try this out! These quesadillas came together in no time at all but their unique, more gourmet fillings made them stick out from your average cheesy variety best ordered at a bar. And, of course, I had to whip up some fresh guacamole to go with them. How can you eat quesadillas without guacamole?

As always, feel free to vary the ingredients and be creative as you follow along. Creative cooks are the best kind! Besides, quesadillas are a very simple way to experiment without too many bad combinations looming out there. (I know I will regret saying that.) So jump on in and enjoy!

Goat Cheese - Sun Dried Tomato - Corn Quesadillas
Quesadillas are an excellent meal to prepare when you are looking for a simple meal on a quiet note at home. They are also fantastic when you don't necessarily agree with what someone else wants or are not sure how many people will show up last minute. Cooking for one? Just do this once. For more? Keep whipping them up. The best part is that each quesadilla can be unique and everyone does not need to agree on the same combination of foods inside their grilled tortilla! But I will walk you through my strategy.

Ingredients:
Goat Cheese
Sun Dried Tomatoes (not oil packed)
Corn Kernels (canned or frozen)
Tortillas
Olive oil - if using a pan rather than a Foreman grill

I know. Simple. I told you this would be easy! Make sure all of your ingredients are assembled in advance since once you start cooking this goes quite quickly. I suggest purchasing the basic dried sun dried tomatoes rather than the ones packed in oil to save needless calories. Keep in mind this may mean they will need some slight rehydration. If so, simply soak them in warm water for five minutes before you use them. It is best to soak only those you will be using since they will not keep as well once they go through this process.

I used canned corn kernels for this (no salt added) but you can use frozen (just have them defrosted) or fresh and cut off a cob. I also recommend taking your time as you pick out your tortillas. The caloric content varies vastly among different brands and types. I actually found a low-carb variety that is under 100 calories per tortilla - and they are large. This is definitely the best I've seen!

If you are using a Foreman grill check the instructions for timing and temperature. In my case I heated at medium for five minutes until the grill was ready. (With the right quesadilla plates on, of course.) Fold two tortillas in half so they are creased and place them both on the grill, straight sides touching so together they form one large circle. Yes, you can also simply place one tortilla down flat and then another on top of the filling but then all of your cut wedges at the end will be open on both sides. I prefer using two folded tortillas so 2/3 of your wedges are at least closed on one side - making eating an easier process.

Layer on the sun dried tomatoes, corn, and goat cheese. Add as much or as little as you want depending how full you like your quesadillas. Fold the tortillas back down, close the grill, and cook for the prescribed amount of time. On my grill this meant 5ish minutes.

Take your quesadillas off, cut them into wedges, and serve immediately with fresh guacamole!

Don't have a Foreman grill? No worries - I've made more quesadillas in a pan in my life than on a grill. Simply heat up a small amount of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Pre-fold two tortillas and then place them in the pan with flat sides next to each other for the same reasons described above. Add the appropriate fillings, fold them back down, and press down on the quesadillas gently with a spatula. Cook for around 5 minutes or until cheese melts, pressing down every couple minutes to ensure that the cheese is melting on both top and bottom to hold the tortilla shut.

Enjoy!