Beefy Quesadillas

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Hi there!  I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend.  You know, Saturday is National Tortilla Day.  Since I have some leftover ground beef from our Memorial Day cookout, I was inspired to combine the beef and tortillas into a wonderful lunch of Beefy Quesadillas!  Oh yeah...so good.

I love Mexican food and these Beefy Quesadillas were simple to make and really hit the spot for a light lunch.

It's really just burrito filling that I made quesadilla style instead.  Packed with seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese, a little green chilies, and some hot sauce.   Oh boy, these were good!  Serve them with a plop of sour cream or some salsa and you are set.  Lunch is served!

A perfect way to use up any leftover ground beef and so get your Mexican craving on!

Enjoy!



Beefy Quesadillas

serves 2

1/2 lb. ground beef or sirloin
1/4 c refried beans
4-6 dashes of hot sauce
1 Tbls. of chopped green chilies (from a 4 oz can)
2 Tbls taco seasoning
4 8 inch flour tortillas
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add 1/4 c water, the taco seasoning, and the green chilies, and bring to a low boil until a sauce forms and most of the water has evaporated.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, add the refried beans and the hot sauce.  Heat over low heat until warm, stirring to combine.  

Heat a clean skillet over medium heat.  On a board place one tortilla flat and spread half of the refried beans on the bottom from the middle out to the edges.  Layer on the meat mixture and then the cheese.  Place in the skillet and cover with a lid.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Flip and cook the other side 2-3 minutes until brown.  Remove from the pan and cut with a pizza cutter or knife and serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.

Happy Memorial Day! A Cooking Class at Vom Foss

It's Memorial Weekend and I hope that everyone is have a fun filled holiday!

We'll be spending time with friends, planning a big cookout with lots of food and fun around the pool! It's so nice to have an extra day or two off from work to relax and enjoy the start of summer.

I wanted to tell you about something special that I did last weekend.

On the spur of the moment I decided to attend a "No-Cook Sauces" class down in San Diego, taught by one of my favorite chefs, Phillis Carey.  The class was held at Vom Fass.  If you don't know about Vom Fass, please read on. They are a specialty store with roots in Germany that specialize in fruit vinegars, exquisite oils, selected wines, outstanding liqueurs and unique spirits. All from the very best producers from all over Europe. "Vom Fass' or "from the cask" carries the most unique items I've seen in a long time. I was like a kid in a candy store! Beautiful casks line the walls that hold specialty oils and vinegars that are there for your tasting. They offer you a selection of varied size bottles to chose from for your purchase and they are filled directly from the casks. This store is a dream!

Today Phillis was there to share with us some Cool No-Cook Sauces using the oils and vinegars from Vom Fass. So MGG and I drove down to the class and decided to make a quick overnight getaway for ourselves! Why not turn this in to a relaxing weekend. Since the class was only 1 hour, he dropped me off and he went exploring in Hillcrest and I went to class. 

First up, a Raspberry Balsamic Champagne Spritzer that was to die for! Then came the sauces which were an Argentine Chimichurri Sauce served over thinly sliced beef on a toasted crostini, and an Italian Salsa Verde severed over cooked shrimp. She also made a Papaya/Mango Poppy Seed Ginger Sauce served as dressing on a mango salad (HEAVEN!) and a Red Currant Raspberry Sauce served over fresh fruit. (I'll be serving this fruit salad at my Memorial Day cookout, so stayed turned for that recipe!)

Needless to say, the class was perfect, the food heavenly, and I spent A LOT of money in that store! A big shout out to Phillis Carey. She is such a wonderful chef.  I've been following her for years. She used to teach at a local Gelson's Cooking School, and then at the Westlake Culinary Institute, but sadly both locations have closed their doors. She's based out of Carlsbad and teaches all over the San Diego area, so I'm so glad I got to go down and take another class of hers. If you are in the San Diego area, look her up at http://phillis-carey.blogspot.com and take a class. You won't believe how much you will learn from her!

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Picnic in the Park: Banana Pudding Jars

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I hope everyone is enjoying the May weather.  We sure are!

Spring has sprung and it's been hot one day and cool the next.  We've also got some Grey May going on here in the mornings.  Not to worry, it burns off by afternoon and then the sun is shining and everyone is outdoors enjoying the cool weather until our scorching summer comes along.

Today we are continuing with our Picnic in the Park theme.  I love picnics don't you?  It's such a great way to enjoy nature, family, and friends....oh and let's not forget the food.  The other day I showed you how to make a great Mediterranean Chicken wrap with some delicious grilled chicken.

Today we are talking desserts.  Oh yea!

Now I always find it hard to take along a good dessert to a picnic or concert in the park.  Since I gravitate toward ice cream, that would end up in a melted mess, so that's out.  So I develop my desserts around the container...mason jars! MASON JARS are the perfect solution for so many toteable things.  Things like salads both green and pasta salads are perfect in jars.  How about drinks? Another winner, and there's no spillage with the lid on!  So of course desserts are also perfect in jars.

Mason jars are hearty, and roomy.  I've even baked the dessert in them, like with my Peach Raspberry Crisps.  I've also used them for my Take Along Smore's.

Today I'm thinking "southern" dessert, and Banana Pudding in mason jars is calling me.  Listen carefully...hear that?  It's calling you too. Seriously, you need to make these sweet little desserts and take them somewhere!  now!  Kids love that wonderful flavor and the vanilla wafers that turn into cakey goodness...HEAVEN!  

This is something that the whole family will enjoy!




Banana Pudding Jars


Servings: 6


For the Pudding:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks
3-1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Assembling:
3 medium bananas, ripe, and sliced
1 box Vanilla Wafers
6 Pint size Mason Jars

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and yolks. Whisk in the milk and bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium heat 5-8 minutes. When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper directly on the pudding to prevent a film from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until cool about 2 hours.

To assemble, place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each mason jar.  This will create a cake layer on the bottom. Spoon a large dollop of pudding on top. Add a layer of vanilla wafers standing up against the sides of the glasses around the circumference of the jar. Layer on some sliced bananas on top of the pudding. Add another layer of pudding and bananas.  Top with crushed vanilla wafers if desired.  Top jars with the lid to securely close.  Place in the refrigerator for another hour.  You may top them with whipped topping or whipped cream before eating if desired.