Quesadillas with Quick Zucchini Relish

This is what my kitchen counter looks like right now:

The charges have taken to creating strange vegetable creatures. West says that it must be a lady vegetable person, since she's got a wide and round bottom. I don't know where he's ever seen one of those before, since my bottom is firm and narrow. Yep. Firm and narrow, all right.

Sometimes when we aren't making pear shaped ladies, we actually eat our garden produce. We've had six straight days of temperatures over 110 degrees. I'm starting to feel like Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire. They'll have to take me away in a straight jacket if the temps don't drop soon. Do they have straight jackets with short sleeves, because it's awful hot around here. I'm not about to turn on the oven or make a complicated five course dinner in this heat. Quesadillas I can handle. I made a quick sweet and spicy zucchini relish to serve on the side, but then I ended up filling up the quesadillas with it also. It was so yummy, I finished the last of it off with a spoon. If this heat keeps up, we're having this everynight for a week.

Quick Zucchini Relish

Estimated Cost: $2.00 or free if you've got a garden

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 small zuchini, chopped

1 small yellow squash, chopped

1 cup corn, preferrably fresh

1 large red tomato, chopped

2 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice
In a skillet over medium heat, heat vegetable oil. Add onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, zucchini, squash, tomato, and corn. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and lime juice. Cook for one additional minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with quesadillas made with sharp cheddar.

Next Up:

Lots of Ways Banana Cake

Blackened Corn Salsa for Quesadillas

I wonder if back to school month is on par with Christmas, in terms of cost. I think it just might be a little bit pricier, between you and me. There are school clothes and shoes, school pictures, school donations, school supplies, school registration fees galore, plus it's time to re-start all of the after school lessons, which for us are tap, ballet, acting, voice, and fencing, not to mention continuing with violin and piano. To be fair, since I homeschool, I don't have to pay some of the aforementioned fees, but then again, I am buying curriculum. And I don't have to pay for a piano teacher since I'm teaching the charges myself until they pass me up, which isn't too far off for Sailor. But still. Money. There's a lot of money flooding, rushing, oozing, hastening out the door. Hundreds and hundreds. And what we're hoping to have to show for our sizeable investment are two well shod, well dressed, well educated little charges, leaping and singing and fencing and dancing around the room....while their parents bite their fingernails.

Here's a good cheap dinner to help offset some of the costs of a modern education. Who doesn't love making quesadillas for dinner on a hot, summer night? Use a combination of a few different cheeses like cheddar, jack, mozzarella, cotijo, or colby for the best flavor. Stir up some quick blackened corn salsa to send ordinary quesadillas over the moon. It's so delicious, you could skip the quesadillas and just eat it with a spoon. Corn is so marvelous and inexpensive in August, so get your good, cheap fill. Have a great weekend, everybody and best of luck with all of your back to school costs!

Money Saving Tips:

I love making this salsa with leftover unbuttered corn on the cob. Boil a few extra ears next time with this dish in mind. You can always use frozen thawed corn in a pinch, too. If you've got fresh tomatoes, corn and chilies in the garden, then this one is practically free.

Blackened Corn Salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups corn fresh or thawed, if frozen

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of one lime

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add corn and onion and cook, stirring from time to time, until corn and onion are blackened in places. Combine with other ingredients in a medium bowl and serve with quesadillas.

Up Next: Tamale Griddle Cakes

Leftover Remodel: Sweet and Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Yep. If you're thinking that this looks nothing like the buttermilk donuts with maple glaze that I promised, you're right. But Friday's southwest chicken (scroll down for recipe) was so superlative in a simple quesadilla, I'm compelled to stop and share. If you need another reason to make this four-ingredient slow-cooker chicken recipe, then here it is: LEFTOVERS. With a sprinkle of green onions, a smattering of cheese, and a butter brushed flour tortilla, you'll be on your way too oohing and aahing a second time. By using your leftovers, you'll be able to make a stand-out quickie meal in minutes for about 50 cents per quesadilla. I'll be back tomorrow with the promised donuts, scouts honor.

*****And for those of you wondering about Friday's tortillas, they are simply purchased corn tortillas, lightly fried in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil. (I use about 2 tablespoons of oil for approximately 8-10 tortillas.)

Coming Tomorrow:

Buttermilk Donuts with Maple Glaze. Truly.