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Fast Food: Apple Cheddar Quesadillas


It was my day to co-op at my sons' school, and I had a client meeting 25 minutes away in the afternoon. School ends at 11:30 and the meeting was at 1:00. Normally that would have been plenty of time to get the kids home, fed and safely deposited in the loving embrace of the playroom where they could occupy themselves and enjoy the benevolent neglect of their father who was working from home in the next room.

But of course nothing is ever simple and I was the only co-oping parent instead of being one of two, and my older son's class let out a bit late due to some flower planting and a trapped possum. I got home much later than I had expected. I did at least have a plan. We had good cheddar and tortillas in the refrigerator, and in the fruit drawer of the pantry there were a couple of good baking apples.

My goal was to make these as quickly as possible. I used an apple corer-slicer, but a knife would do just as well, grated my own cheese and had both boys eating less than 10 minutes after I got in the door. I even had time to eat my own food in a moderately civilized fashion before I had to leave. (I didn't get the boys settled in the playroom. Their father had to do that.)

Apple cheddar quesadilla


Any good crisp apple will do here. A pie apple will hold up better than an eating apple. Use really flavorful cheddar both to contrast with the sweetness of the apple and so you can use less. If you're not a fan of cheddar, other cheeses would work well. Brie would be brilliant, but you might never want to eat anything else again, so be careful. I heat the tortilla on one side, and then flip and add the apple slices then the cheddar, and then fold the empty half of the tortilla over the top. Once the cheddar starts to melt down between the apples slices flip the quesadilla over and cook until the cheese is fully melted. The apples will just barely soften and sweeten. You will wonder why people eat ordinary grilled cheese.
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Comments

  1. MaudOctober 7, 2011 at 5:11 PM

    Yum. Also, I need to hear the story about the possum.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Justine LOctober 7, 2011 at 10:19 PM

    This is genuis. Alas, I just got back from the store, and I did not buy cheddar cheese. Or Brie. And I refuse to use mozzarella.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer ThorsonOctober 7, 2011 at 10:36 PM

    Maud, yesterday the Forest room played possum because Ms. Pam needed them to be still and quiet for a minute. Today when they went outside to plant flowers around Ms. Cheryl's tree they discovered a possum trapped in the deep bowl at the skate park. Naturally they all had to go and check out the poor possum. I am told that animal control was called. I'm sorry I couldn't watch the capture. I'm sure it was good comedy.

    jhl, mozzarella wouldn't be right at all. Perhaps there will be a market tomorrow morning with some artisanal cheese?

    ReplyDelete

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