Cheesy ground beef  quesadilla

*. Looks like the good stuff with melty cheddar, seasoned beef, onions, and cilantro.

*- Makes 4 large quesadillas:*

*Beef Filling:*

– *Ground beef*: 1 lb, 80/20

– *Yellow onion*: ½ cup, diced

– *Garlic*: 2 cloves, minced

– *Seasoning*: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp oregano, salt & pepper

– *Tomato paste*: 1 tbsp

– *Water*: ¼ cup

– *Cilantro*: 2 tbsp, chopped

*For Assembly:*

– *Large flour tortillas*: 8

– *Cheddar cheese*: 3 cups, shredded. Monterey Jack works too.

– *Butter or oil*: For the pan

*Instructions:*

1. *Cook beef*: Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.

2. *Add flavor*: Add onion, cook 3 min. Add garlic, cook 30 sec. Stir in all seasonings + tomato paste. Add water and simmer 2-3 min until thick. Turn off heat and mix in cilantro.

3. *Build*: Heat a clean skillet on medium. Lightly butter one side of a tortilla. Place butter-side down in pan.

4. *Layer*: Add ½ cup cheese, ⅓ cup beef mixture, then another ½ cup cheese. Top with second tortilla, butter-side up.

5. *Cook*: Press down gently. Cook 2-3 min per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.

6. *Slice*: Let rest 1 min, then cut into wedges.

*Time*: 20 minutes

*Tip*: Use two cheeses for better melt. Don’t overfill or they get messy.

Want a dipping sauce to go with it? Sour cream + lime or chipotle mayo works great.