Crab Quesadillas

I have made this a couple of times now but this is the first quesadilla recipe (from Yahoo/Eating Well) I've attempted. Though there was definitely a learning curve (turns out flipping quesadillas is not so easy!), this recipe is definitely one worth sharing. The filling is creamy and tasty, and if you like a little spicy, I would absolutely recommend including the optional pickled jalapenos because they really do give the quesadillas a distinct kick. The only change I've made to this recipe is that I cooked each side of the tortilla for longer than the recommended time; I've found that I need the extra time for the tortilla to turn golden brown which helps a lot with the flipping and the cutting.

I am also excited to report that this is the first blog post featuring photos taken with my new DSLR camera, so regular readers of this blog will notice (hopefully!) that the quality of my photos has improved significantly. :) Anyhoo, here is the recipe:

CRAB QUESADILLAS

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 8 ounces pasteurized crabmeat, drained if necessary
• 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

Directions:

1. Combine Cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, bell pepper, cilantro, jalapenos (if using), orange zest and juice in a medium bowl. Gently stir in crab. Lay tortillas out on a work surface. Spread one-fourth of the filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes each side until no longer soft. (It is much easier to flip the quesadillas when they are no longer soft.) Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. (I highly recommend using a pizza wheel if you have one!)
   

The crab filling.

Spreading crab filling on top of half of a tortilla.


Crab quesadillas!

Links:
http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/eatingwell/1257/crab-quesadillas