Plate Or Palette

When I was growing up I wanted to be an artist. Then my junior year in high school I took a hard look at the art work I was doing. And I decided I wanted to eat more than I wanted to be an artist. I realized my talent wasn't going to pay the bills. But a tiny bit of that artist still resides in me. Today it is more likely that I enjoy the colors of vegetables as I slice and dice. Really. I enjoy combining colors in the pan or on a plate just as much as I used to enjoy mixing colors on a palette. There are many ways to be an artist.

Tonight's supper was quick and easy. And colorful. And delicious. Thank you, Martha Stewart. And thank you, Jessica for trying this before I did and declaring it yummy.

I made half the recipe tonight. Plenty for the two of us. It's slightly adapted from the original recipe. It was crispy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside, with the mushrooms giving it an "meaty" bite. If you are looking to add a meatless meal every now and then, this is a good one to try.

SPINACH-AND-MUSHROOM QUESADILLAS

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

8 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used baby bellas)

6 oz. prewashed spinach, shredded

salt and pepper (I used House Seasoning*)

8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

8 oz. Mexican blend shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Add spinach in two batches, letting the first batch wilt slightly before adding the rest. Cook until spinach is completely wilted and mixture is dry, 2-3 minutes total. Season with salt & pepper.

Brush one side of tortillas with remaining oil. Place 4 tortillas, oiled side down, on two baking sheets. Layer each tortilla with cheese, spinach mixture and more cheese, dividing evenly. Top with remaining tortillas, oiled side up. Press lightly to seal.

Bake about 10 minutes, until cheese has melted and tortillas are golden brown, turning them once. To serve, cut into quarters. 

*House seasoning:  Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1 tbsp. black pepper & 1 tbsp. garlic powder. Store in an air-tight container, such as an empty spice bottle.