This one comes from my older sister, muchas gracias to her! She calls them "Cheesy Toasty Thingies" for, while my family is very well-read, we seem to have an aversion to proper nouns whilst at home. I have dubbed them as Fake-adillas (as in fake quesadillas) or, for my non-Mexican cuisine initiated, Cheese Toasties! If you happen to read this, please, comment on the blog which name you prefer!
Do you have picky GI kids (or, in my case, husband) who miss the ease of the sandwich or hotdog? Can't seem to reconcile yourself to the fact that Tapioca bread is the closest thing you will ever get? What started as my sister's easy snack has turned into our lunch-time solution. While it doesn't have the fluffiness of bread (But neither does the Tapioca "bread") it has the convenience that we were missing.
What you need:
Corn tortillas
1/8 cup +/- shredded cheese per Toasty, or one slice of sandwich cheese
filling of choice
Pan (I prefer cast iron since it must be cooked on a dry heat)
Instructions:
Heat pan to medium-low heat, place 1 corn tortilla (Or more, depending on pan size) flat on UN GREASED pan. You aren't frying it, just crisping it. If your cast iron pan is drying out too much or smoking, a small amount of Crisco rubbed in should fix it.
Place cheese evenly to edge of tortilla, add filling of choice. Allow cheese to melt, checking periodically to make sure tortilla is not burned. You want the tortilla crispy, not too crunchy. Fold tortilla in half, remove from pan. Enjoy!
No, really, that's it. It is so simple, so versatile! As you can see, we chose just 2 ingredients for the filling, ham and avocado. Very tasty! But I ran out of cheese and avocado before I made a second one for me, so I used a cheese stick (un-strung) and some red bell pepper. You are only limited by your imagination and the contents of your pantry!
This would be a great way to eat leftovers, too. BBQ, the chicken that you just can't make another soup out of, leftover casserole, seafood, leftover veggies, etc. As long as it goes well with cheese, it will work! By not frying it, adding salsa or traditional Mexican seasonings, this doesn't come off as "Mexican Food". We are going to try this with hot dogs this week, something I have REALLY missed!
A word about corn tortillas: Be picky. try several different varieties in small packages before you go ahead and buy a 50 pack. I find that the Wal-Mart brand Great Value white corn tortillas not only taste great, but last a long time in the bread box. Some corn tortillas will dry out quickly, making them a crumbly mess. I find that the yellow corn tortillas are the worst at that.
So, how are you liking the blog so far? What would you like to see me do? I am open to suggestions!
