Quesadillas

Growing up in the south, my normal meals consisted of cornbread, gumbo and greens. But whenever I lived in Texas, I was confronted with a different breed of Southern food. Barbecue meant beef instead of pork, the gravy was a peculiar color, a country-fried steak turned into a chicken-fried steak, and Tex-Mex was king. I made the best of it (not that it was a difficult feat). I found that Mexican food could be just as comforting as the Southern cuisine I was used to. The main ingredients are cheese and cheese and butter and cheese. Where can one go wrong? So my sister and I made a tradition out of this fare and went to Rosa’s Tortilla Factory for Taco Tuesday every Tuesday. The best part, we could order whatever our little hearts desired and miraculously never spent more than $5. Oh it was the best for two college gals from the south! Here is to Texas and it’s simple Southern food, and here is to Taco Tuesday! Olé!

Recipe: Serves 6-8

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbs. of olive oil

¼ tsp. of red pepper flakes

2 tsp. of salt

1 tsp. of pepper

3 Tbs. of butter

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

18 fresh flour tortillas

Heat non-stick skillet on medium heat and add oil. Mix chicken, seasonings, and lime juice together in a bowl. Add the chicken to the hot skillet. Cook until brown and cooked through. At the last minute of cooking, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and toss with the chicken. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Clean out skillet. Put the skillet on medium-low heat. Lightly butter both sides of the tortillas, add about 1 tablespoon of cheese, 1 tablespoon of chicken and another tablespoon of cheese. Put filled tortillas in skillet, I can usually fit 4 at a time. Brown one side and flip over to brown the other side. This should only take a few moments. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese and chicken. Serve with shredded lettuce and fresh salsa.