Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving weekend is winding down, and while I didn't have time to blog any hints or tips for that grand holiday meal, I would still like to take a moment to confirm my profound thankfulness.

It has been a difficult year full of tremendous losses, but we have withstood them all and are so much more thankful for what remains. We have been blessed beyond measure, even in times of struggle. I am thankful. Very thankful.

I could be true to my over-sharing, rambling nature and go into detail, but really do I need to? We all face challenges. We all face loss. We all have people in our lives that make them better (and some that don't). We are all human, and though our experiences may vary, at the end of the day, we are all thankful for what we have (and some of what we don't). Life isn't easy, but life is good. I am thankful. Very thankful.

And, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with my fridge still brimming with leftovers, I am thankful for leftover turkey to throw together a simple lunch during our day of chores and errands. Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas, quite thankfully, rock. I served them today with some of the Basic Canned Salsa that I preserved from our summer garden. The roasted poblanos meld with the cheeses and the saltiness of the cured ham and really kick up the turkey. I give thanks for Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas On My Plate.

Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadilla

2 fresh poblano peppers

olive oil

mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used a mix of mozzarella and Monterrey Jack.) 

Queso Fresco, crumbled

thin sliced deli-style ham

sliced or shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey

flour tortillas

unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 500F.
Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and drizzle with oil to cover.
Roast for 10-15 minutes until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them occasionally.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Immediately place chiles in a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes.
Peel and seed chiles; cut into strips.
On each flour tortilla, layer cheese(s), ham, turkey, and poblano strips equally over one half.
Fold the filled tortillas in half.
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
When the butter starts to bubble, add a folded tortilla and toast until the cheese melts and tortilla is crisp, flipping half-way through. (I covered skillet while first side was crisping to help hold in the heat to melt the cheese.)
Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding butter to the skillet as necessary.