Mexican Food Leftovers - Quick Idea for Baked Quesadillas

Posted by Lori:

Bringing home leftovers from Mexican food from a restaurant may not be something you're accustomed to doing, but here's an idea that might make you rethink leaving what's on your plate.  Or maybe you are ordering takeout from the restaurant.  What it typically eaten by one person at the restaurant, can most often be made into two plates of food at home.  Some of that is due to huge portions, but also some place seem to send more home in the to-go boxes.  Not a bad thing at all when you're feeding your family!

For our family of six, I have made quesadillas with the Mexican food leftovers.  If the restaurant serves homemade tortillas this is especially great!  The photo above is an uncooked flour tortillas I got at Walmart.  You just cook them yourself and they are great! Sorry I can't remember the name of the company that makes them.  But, back to the quesadillas!

Basically, I take whatever is left - rice, beans, beef and chicken enchiladas, cheese sauce, and sometimes fajita meat, and heat it up.  The I spread that mixture onto flour tortillas.  Add cheddar cheese, more beans, if needed (Ranch Style beans add flavor and juice), top with another tortilla and bake/broil.  After the top tortillas are browned, I flip the quesadilla and butter the other side, allowing it to bake/broil until browned.  I bake the quesadillas because, for our family, it would take a long time to cook them all, individually.  Bake at 400 degrees and then, if desired, turn it up to broil and watch closely until the desired browning is achieved.  Repeat with the bottom side (after flipping).  Turn the oven back to 400, allow the quesadillas to cook, then broil a little bit until browned.

My family things these "restaurant leftover quesadillas" are great!  I hope you enjoy trying them yourself.