Beef And Cheese Quesadillas

These quesadillas are cheesy, and the ground beef is flavorful. This is one of our go-to meals when we really don't want to cook. They are fast and easy to prepare, and our family loves them.

1/4 c. hot water
1 bouillon cube
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 hot peppers, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. chili powder * see below
1 tsp. cumin * see below
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 can corn, drained (optional)
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
3 c. shredded cheese, divided  (Cheddar cheese, hot pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese)
6 to 8 flour tortillas, 8-inch size

Directions

Preheat oven to 200°. This will keep the quesadillas warm as you cook each one, so you can serve all of them at the same time. 

 Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water. Set aside.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, hot pepper, sweet pepper and garlic until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease or fat.

Stir in chili powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, tomato paste and dissolved bouillon cube with water. 

Lay out the flour tortillas.  Using 2 cups of cheese, place an even amount of cheese on one half side of each of the flour tortillas. 

Place the meat mixture on top of the cheese, dividing equally among the flour tortillas.  

Add some corn over the top of the ground beef.  Add some black beans at this time as well, if you desire.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the ground beef and corn. Fold each tortilla shell in half. 

Lightly grease or spray a skillet. Heat the skillet over medium-low heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until the tortilla is golden browned, and the cheese is melted.  This only takes about 2 minutes, so don't leave the quesadillas unattended. When the one side is browned, carefully turn over the tortilla to brown the other side. 

Place on a cookie sheet and keep in a preheated oven to keep warm as you continue cooking the rest of the quesadillas. 

Serve with sour cream, or salsa.  Include some refried beans and Spanish rice, and you will have a complete meal.

 Notes:

We always add about a tablespoon of chili powder and cumin in ours, as we like the taste of these two spices.