Basic Quesadilla

1 chicken breast

2 green onions

2 10-inch flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Jack cheese

2 tablespoons diced green chiles

Salsa

Sour cream

Preheat the grill or broiler to high heat. Grill or broil the chicken breast for 5 minutes on each side, or until thoroughly cooked. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.

Cut off the root ends of the green onions and thinly slice the white and about 1 inch of the green parts.

Place 1 tortilla in a large saute pan over medium heat. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the tortilla and sprinkle with the green chiles and green onions. Arrange the chicken strips on the tortilla and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the quesadilla holds together. Turn the quesadilla over and cook for 1 minute.

Cut into 6 wedges and serve with the salsa and sour cream. Makes 1 serving.

Bill Schroeder of Wild Bill's New American Grille in Lebanon serves this fancier quesadilla.

Smoked Salmon Quesadilla

8 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons shallot, minced

8 leaves basil, sliced, or fresh parsley

24 1/2-ounce slices of smoked salmon

4 10-inch flour tortillas

Butter or olive oil

Mix first five ingredients with mixer or by hand. Spread evenly on 4 tortillas. Layer six slices salmon on 1/2 of each tortilla, and fold over. Saute in butter or olive oil over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

4 scallions, diced small

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato in oil, diced small

2 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1 leaf basil or sprig of parsley

1 small tomato, diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients. Let sit for one hour to meld flavors. Makes 4 appetizer servings.

Carol's Quesadilla

1 pound frozen or fresh sweet corn

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 large red onion, finely chopped

11/2 ounces olive oil

1 minced jalapeņo pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

14 ounces smoked gouda cheese, shredded

14 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded

8 8-inch flour tortillas

Vegetable oil

Combine corn, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, jalapeņo pepper and cumin in a shallow pan and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Bake, covered with foil, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Set aside.

CHEESE MIXTURE

Combine smoked gouda and pepper Jack cheese and set aside.

ASSEMBLING QUESADILLA

Heat a flat frying pan with a small amount of vegetable oil with flame on medium.

When oil is hot, place one tortilla in frying pan and spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture evenly on the tortilla. When the cheese begins to melt, spread 1/4 of the roasted corn mixture on top of the cheese.

Immediately cover the mixture with another tortilla and press down so that cheese from bottom binds to the top tortilla.

Gently flip over the quesadilla so that the tortilla can brown on the other side.

When both sides are lightly browned and cheese is melted, remove from heat, cut into quarters and serve with sour cream, guacamole or fresh salsa. Repeat for remaining 3 quesadillas.

Compiled by Polly Campbell