Turkey and Balsamic Onion Quesadillas

I made these quesadillas a couple of weeks ago. They were fast, simple, and full of flavor. Dean and I loved them. I didn't use smoked turkey because I don't care for the taste, so I used oven baked turkey. Also the next time I might saute the onions for a couple of minutes to release the sugars. We added some low fat ranch dressing to the top, but they really didn't need it. The leftover balsamic vinegar did make a nice dressing for a garden salad.

I really liked this recipe for the plain and simple fact you can change the ingredients to your taste. I think pepper jack or co-jack would be wonderful. So many cheeses, so little time.

Turkey & Balsamic Onion Quesadillas

Eating Well February/March 2005
Fast and Easy

Soaking the onions in balsamic vinegar mellows them and brings out their sweetness. Accompany these delicious quesadillas with greens dressed in the leftover vinegar whisked together with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

1 small red onion, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 10-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
8 slices deli turkey, preferably smoked (8 ounces)

1. Combine onion and vinegar in a bowl; let marinate for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the vinegar for salad dressing.
2. Place 2 tortillas in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (they will overlap); warm for about 45 seconds, then flip. Pull the tortillas up the edges of the pan so they are no longer overlapping. Working on one half of each tortilla, sprinkle one-fourth of the cheese, cover with 2 slices of turkey and top with one-fourth of the onion. Fold the tortillas in half, press gently with a spatula to flatten and cook until the cheese starts to melt, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the second side is golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Make two more quesadillas with the remaining ingredients. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 261 calories; 10 g fat (5 g sat, 0 g mono); 56 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 23 g protein; 2 g fiber; 702 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Calcium (22% daily value), Magnesium (12% dv).