BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with grilled pinapple

So it has been a while since my last post. My phone was on the fritz and all my photos were on there...boo. Anyway I'm back and I have something awesome for you guys! I am not a fan of quesadillas but I needed something easy one night and picked these out of one of my favorite cookbooks (The Pioneer Woman Cooks Food From My Frontier. I love her btw) and I am so glad I did. It has a little spice from pickled jalapenos and lots of sweetness from the grilled pineapple. This is the perfect summer lunch or dinner. Its fairly quick and very easy to make. 

First you'll need to grill 1 to 2 chicken breasts, depending on how many quesadillas you want to make, and some pineapple spears. after they are done grilling (I just use my grill pan on the stove but you can also do this outside on a grill) you slather the chicken with bbq sauce and cut the pineapple into chunks. 

next its just about assembling it all. I like to put a little bit of jack cheese on the bottom tortilla then pile on chicken pieces, pineapple, and jalapenos (I use them from the jar but feel free to make your own pickled jalapenos or use fresh jalapenos). Then I add a little more bbq sauce and some more cheese to hold it all together.

Then put it in a skillet with a little bit of melted butter and cook for a couple minutes each side or until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melted. Then cut in quarters and top with sour cream and/or salsa and ENJOY! This is seriously better than any restaurant quesadilla I have ever had and its made in the comfort of your own home. 

Barbecue Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas (recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman)

Makes 4 quesadillas

1/2 a pineapple

salt and pepper to taste 

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (butterflied or pounded to uniform thickness with a mallet)

1/3 cup bbq sauce of your choice

4 Tbsp butter for frying

8 flour or corn tortillas

jarred jalapeno slices or 1 jalapeno sliced

1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese

sour cream, for serving

pico de gallo, for serving

cut the pineapple into 8 wedges, cut off the core and the outer skin. grill the pineapple over med high heat, turning once or twice during the grilling process. remove the pineapple from the grill and slice, set aside.

salt and pepper the chicken and grill over med high heat until done, about 4 minutes per side. Brush both sides with bbq sauce. remove them from the grill and slice thinly.

Assemble the quesadillas with cheese, chicken, pineapple, and jalapenos. Add a little more bbq sauce, cheese, and place second tortilla on top. heat one tablespoon of butter in a skillet and brown quesadilla on one side, carefully flip and brown the other side. Repeat with the other quesadillas. Cut into quarters and top with sour cream and pico de gallo or salsa. 

 

Super tasty Grilled Fish Tacos

                                         Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
OMG! I love these things they are so delicious and healthy, oh and as a bonus easy to make. The fish is grilled, not fried, and it is topped off with a homemade mango avocado salsa. If that doesn't get your mouth watering then you're  mouth might be broken (JK, but really it might) Ok now I'll show you how I made them.

First I make the salsa with fresh avocado, mango, red onion, cilantro,

Next I season the fish with with an amazing blackening spice. I made this myself with spices I already had and keep it on hand for all kinds of dishes. It's smokey and a little bit spicy. Seriously just try it! Then all the fillets go in the grill pan with a little bit of olive oil (you can also use an outdoor grill of you prefer).

After the fish is done cooking it will crispy and have those beautiful grill marks, gotta love those. Just remove it from the pan and cut it into sections small enough to fit in your tortillas (I prefer corn). 

Now it is time to assemble your tacos. Just place the fish inside the warm tortillas, these can be heated in the microwave between two damp paper towels or on the grill, put a little cabbage on top, and then finish it off with the tangy sweet salsa that you made earlier. Add lime wedges to the plate to squeeze over right before eating and ENJOY! 

                                               Recipe for Grilled Fish Tacos (courtesy of Cook This, Not That)
1 Mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 Avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed
1/2 red onion finely chopped
Juice of one lime, plus wedges for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro
salt and black pepper
Olive oil
2 large fillets of white fish (I use tilapia because its easier for me to find and I always have it in my freezer but the recipe calls for Mahimahi.)
1 Tbsp blackening seasoning (see recipe below)
8 corn tortillas 
2 cups shredded cabbage

Mix he mango, avocado, onion, and the juice of one lime in a bowl. Season with cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Heat a grill or grill pan until hot. Drizzle a light coating of oil on the fish (or in the pan) and rub on the blackening spice. Cook the fish, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove.

Warm the tortillas on the grill for 1-2 mintues or wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute until warm and pliable.

Break the fish into chunks and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with the cabbage and the mango salsa. Serve with the lime wedges.

                                      Blackening Spice (courtesy of Cook This, Not That)
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp black peper
1 tsp dried oregano leaves or thyme

Combine all the ingredients in a sealable container. Rub 1 tsp on any flaky white fish before grilling or searing. The mix will keep for up to six months.

Welcome to my kitchen!

I just love to cook and share recipes with everyone! I find that most people are always looking for yummy recipes. This will be a place to find recipes for all types...easy, healthy, cheap, fast, intermediate, special occasions, anything you might be interested in. I will just post what I am cooking (mostly for dinner) with pics. I love cooking blogs and am so excited to start one of my own.  This way I don't have to blow up my Facebook page with pictures of what's for dinner when, lets face it, some people really just don't want to see that...who those people are I don't know because who wouldn't want to see what I'm eating every day :)