Grilled Portabella and Sweet Banana Pepper Quesadillas with Fresh Cilantro and Pepper Jack Cheese

Quesadillas qualify as “fun food” in my house.  Whether they’re filled with assorted gourmet cheeses, meats, veggies or even filled with fruit and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, quesadillas make an appearance on our kitchen or patio table at least once a week. 

Most often my quesadillas are filled up with whatever’s in the frig that needs to be eaten before the expiration date.  This week it was the yummy portabella mushrooms and sweet banana peppers that I’d forgotten I’d purchased.  Yes, I purchased these veggies on a whim, thinking I might stuff the peppers or maybe even stuff the portabellas.  But alas, I got busy and didn’t stuff anything.  So there they were, sitting in the bottom of my frig just staring at me and screaming to be used before they got tossed into the food compost. 

These delectable quesadillas are simply prepared by grilling the mushrooms and peppers first, then assembling the veggies with the cilantro and cheese on fresh flour tortillas.  Grill them until the cheese is warm and melted and serve with your family’s favorite salsa and sliced fresh summer avocados. 

Serve these quesadillas as a starter for your next outdoor dinner party or as a light lunch or dinner with a fresh green salad tossed in your favorite vinaigrette. 

Keep dinner simple… Enjoy the flavors of life.  Happy Fiesta!

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large portabella mushrooms

2 sweet banana peppers

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, torn

1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

Fresh Avocados, sliced

Fresh Tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Your favorite salsa

Directions

Pre-heat the grill to 350F.  Brust or rub the mushrooms and peppers with olive oil.  Grill until the peppers are lightly roasted and soft, but not mushy, and the mushrooms are soft. 

Cool the veggies and slice.  Turn the grill heat down to low. 

Brush one side of each tortilla with olive oil.  Sprinkle a little cheese on one half the tortilla.  Layer with a few slices mushrooms and a few slices peppers and torn cilantro.  Sprinkle a little more cheese over the top of the veggies and then fold other half of the flour tortilla over the cheese and veggies. 

Once all the quesadillas are prepared, carefully transfer them to the grill.  Grill each side for just a few minutes until the cheese is melted and the quesadillas are golden brown. 

Transfer the quesadillas to a platter and slice like a pizza.  Serve with fresh sliced avocado and salsa.