Most of my friends know that I like to read about cooking on different websites – like Pioneer Women and Cook’s Illustrated. But, in an effort towards full disclosure, I must tell you that I am not that good of a cook. Baking, I love. Cooking? another story. Reading a recipe online is only half of the battle, you know.
I’m fairly good in the kitchen at making a few select dishes some of the time. But really, I’m unsuccessful at new recipes most of the time and so I continue making those same moderately successful menu items over and over again. That’s how my cooking skills have turned out… And, I wish I could do better. maybe someday.
At any rate, my hubby and I, a long time ago decided that we would try more often than not to eat at home rather than eat out. And that is how we roll. I plan groceries and meals for the week and we stick with it the majority of the time. However, sometimes life happens and things just don’t work out. This weekend was one of those times, and I just hadn’t been to the grocery store yet.
Tonight we arrived home from running a few errands and it was time for me to make supper. As I walked into the kitchen I realized I was in need of a small cooking miracle… almost akin to the story in the Bible of the widow and the jars of oil (from @Kings 4). I had no idea exactly what we were going to eat, but I did know we would have enough.
Sometimes I dismiss the wonder of His constant care and provision for my family….
Well, in a strange culmination of ideas gleaned from Pinterest, some leftovers and other random ingredients in my fridge, I had a small epiphany and realized there was something I could prepare. I asked my husband if he was nervous that I was being “creative” in the kitchen. He just laughed. Apparently we’ve been down this road before…
Turns out my creation was DELICIOUS. And I’m not joking. It truly was yummy, but please don’t laugh too much at me when you read the recipe. Michael and I both loved it and I will probably make something similar again. (I say similar because I don’t know if I’ll ever have these ingredients all at the same time again.)
Was mine a miraculous meal? I’ll leave that to a theologian to decide. But I can promise this: There is a God who provides and He is a miracle working God… As I’ve re-read the story of 2Kings 4, I’m reminded once again: He is a God of plenty.
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
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I offer you, humbly, without any delusions of culinary grandeur –
Melody’s left-over quesadilla pie.
Ingredients: 4 tortillas (trimmed to fit my 9 inch spring form pan), lots of cheese (several ends of chunks, shredded), a half a red pepper, half an onion, a last of some manwich meat and taco meat mixed together, half cup of black beans, half cup of corn, a left over baked potato.
Instructions: Heat the oven to 375 and spray the bottom and sides of a spring form pan. Trim the tortillas to fit into the spring form pan. I began by dicing my half onion and half green pepper and the baked potato – and fried them up in a pan with a pat of butter. Then, I put one tortilla in the bottom of the pan. I spread the mixture of meat over the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. (I used pepper jack). Next I set another tortilla over the meat. I combined the corn and black beans and put them over the tortilla. Sprinkled with more cheese. (this time I used some colby jack) After laying another tortilla over the corn and bean mixture, I spread the potato concoction over the tortilla, sprinkled more cheese and the topped with the final tortilla and put just a bit more cheese on the very top. I baked it for about 20 minutes until it was heated all the way through.
Seriously, you could do this with just about any of the flavor combinations you enjoy -all sandwiched together in layers of cheese and tortillas. Oh the possibilities are endless! Just whip up some of the stuff from your fridge and you can make your own leftover quesadilla pie, too.
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daily portion 