What is it with school-time that seems so busy?! This is my first year sending a little one to school and it already feels so structured and a bit rushed all the time. Call me crazy but I loved the lack of a super set schedule before “the school years” hit. Sure we had a flexible schedule of how our day went, but nothing so rigid and confining. That being said, I need some easy dinner options and these ham and cheese quesadillas totally fit the bill. They are quick, easy, and filling. Plus I can highlight some of the delicious bell peppers that are growing in my massive garden!

I like this meal because it’s a bit out of the box… still a delicious quesadilla that we all like but I don’t but it in the Mexican category which means I can still serve tacos the next night 🙂 It’s a fun twist on a classic that combines ham, cheese, and peppers, in a warm tortilla. What’s not to love? I like to serve these with amazing oven fries and some seasonal fruit (watermelon and cantaloupe right now!) and dinner is done.

I’m always looking for a quick meal that doesn’t have canned stuff or cream-of’s in it, so any thoughts or suggestions are welcome! You all have some great ideas I tell you!

Ham and Cheese Quesadillas

Yield: 2 8-inch quesadillas

Print Recipe

Ingredients

4 8-inch tortillas
1 cup chopped ham
2/3 cup cheese
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
Mustard or ranch for dipping

Instructions

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet on the stove-top over medium heat.
Place 1 tortilla on a plate or cutting board, spread half of the ham, cheese, and then bell pepper over the tortilla. Place a second tortilla over ham, cheese,and bell peppers. Carry the quesadilla on the plate or cutting board over to the hot pan and carefully slide it onto the hot pan.
Let the tortilla cook for a minute or so, until lightly browned, and then carefully flip it over and cook on the other side. The goal is to have warm meat and melted cheese without burning the tortillas, so keep an eye on things and lower the heat if the tortillas are cooking too fast, or if your stove tends to cook hot, start with a lower temperature.
Remove the warm quesadilla from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a knife or pizza roller, cut the queadilla into 6 or 8 wedges.
Serve right away with mustard or ranch for dipping.