FRIDAY

Crispy Mushroom, Spinach & Onion Quesadillas  |  Salsa Rojo  |  Horchata De Almendra

As the sun sets this evening, marking the end of another busy week…Happy Weekend.  It is Friday, and time for a little relaxation & recreation.  Tonight’s dinner turned out to be so simple.  But, I completely messed up the Horchata because I didn’t put together the rice, almond, water prep last night…oh well, the children will have Horchata tomorrow night.  I had a reserved treat for them tonight…

Begin with  the Horchata {which I didn’t do}…it will be ready after sitting overnight in the fridge.  Click here for the recipe & visit the Kitchn for a great article, “Making Horchata:  Which Rice is Best“.  Horchata is known as being a refreshing agua fresca in the summertime but it can also be served warm and made with milk in the off-season.  I was planning on serving it warm {after all, it is February} but we have been having such beautiful, mild weather {temperatures tomorrow are expected to be near 70°F!} that I believe we will be serving the original version over ice. 

And then the salsa…{click here for the recipe and nutritional information at Eating Well.com}

But I didn’t like the result.  It turned out to be too thick, not at all like the savory, thin salsa we used to get at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Healdsburg {El Farolito}.  It was my fault.  Friends dropped in and, caught up in our visit, I let the tomatoes cook too long and the liquid in the pan completely evaporated.  The taste was spot on however, just not the consistency I was looking for tonight.  I will definitely try this recipe again…paying closer attention!

Strike 1:  Horchata, Strike 2:  Salsa Rojo…Thank heaven!  The quesadillas were a homerun…

Crispy Mushroom & Spinach Quesadillas  {adapted from COOKIE + kate}

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ red onion, diced
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound brown button mushrooms, sliced
• 6 ounces, baby spinach leaves
• 1 small lime, juiced
• 1 cup shredded Jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded, mild Cheddar cheese
• 5 large flour tortillas
• 1-2 Haas Avocados, thinly sliced {optional}
• Salsa Rojo {click here for recipe} or your favorite salsa

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.  Add chopped red onion and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to soften.  
3. Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and a splash of lime juice.  Remove from heat.
4. Place tortillas on a work surface and divide spinach leaves among the 5 quesadillas, covering only ½ of each tortilla.  Next, divide hot mushroom mixture evenly on top of spinach leaves for each quesadilla {the heat from the mushrooms will begin to wilt the spinach}. Then, divide the cheeses equally among the quesadillas, topping the spinach and mushroom mixture.  {If using the avocado slices, add them to the quesadillas at this time}. Fold the empty tortilla half over the toppings for each quesadilla.
5. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Place two folded quesadillas into skillet and cook until golden brown on the underside, then carefully flip with a spatula.  Once again, cook the quesadillas until golden brown on the underside.  At this point cheese will be melting from the quesadilla & sizzling onto the hot skillet, creating crispy cheese edges along the tortilla.  Once browned, remove the folded quesadillas to a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  Repeat with remaining quesadillas.  Serve with salsa.

Now the reserved treat (making up for my Horchata mistake…remember?} ~ Lemon Meringue Tart

As captured by Maddie.  While sitting in the kitchen this afternoon, she noticed the sun hitting the dome of the pastry plate just right & casting a rainbow over the tart…

Wishing You All a Wonderful Weekend!