Chicken and cheese quesadilla

Some time I'll have to try real Mexican food, but I do like Americanized Mexican food. Here is my recipe for chicken and cheese quesadillas. I tried to make my own taco seasoning out of the spices I have at home, but there are packets of taco seasoning in the supermarket that would be more convenient to use.

Seasoned chicken:

4 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup water
juice of half a lemon
2 large chicken breasts

1. I think this is what I used in the taco seasoning: salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Otherwise, use a premixed packet.

2. Heat a pan with some oil on medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Fry the chicken, cooking both sides until the outside is browned.

3. Add the seasoning, water, and lemon juice. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, then flip the breasts over, and cook for about another 10 minutes.

4. Take out one piece of chicken at a time, and place on a cutting board or a bowl or a plate. Use two forks to shred the chicken. When you are done, add all of the shredded chicken back into the pan. Let the sauce simmer until it is thickened.


5. Then make your quesadilla! My method is to heat one tortilla on a pan on medium heat. When the tortilla is warm I flip it over. I add the chicken on one half and the cheese on the other, then fold the tortilla in half with a spatula. Then I press down on the quesadilla with the spatula. When one side starts getting brown, I flip if over. Then I use the spatula to cut the quesadilla into halves or quarters.

French Onion Soup

Today was my day off! It has been cloudy and cool over here; it's a good day for soup. Plus, Tracy and I were watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network and saw some French Onion Soup, which then made the both of us crave it.


Makes 10 big servings or 15 side servings

4.5 pounds beef bones
2.5 liters water
6 large onions
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper

1 block Gruyere cheese
1 bag croutons

1. Fill your biggest pot halfway with water. Add your bones. Bring to boil until all of the blood coagulates and floats on top. Drain the water and rinse the bones off.
2. Put the bones back in the pot and add two and a half liters of water. Heat pot on high until it reaches a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for at least two hours. It would be great if you have the time to cook for three hours or more.
3. Slice your onions however you want. Grab a second pot and add your butter. Heat on medium-low until the butter melts. Add the onions. Stir every few minutes, until the onions are dark brown all the way through. If your onions seems to be cooking too fast, reduce the heat to low. It will take a while, maybe twenty to thirty minutes, to caramelize the onions. Turn off the heat when the onions are done.
4. When the broth is cooked, use a strainer to transfer the broth into the pot of onions. Add your spices to taste. Let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
5. When you are ready to serve, get an oven safe container. We used ramekins, but soup bowls would be good. I've seen people use mugs too. Put your croutons on the bottom, then ladle your soup in, then top with cheese. Broil at 450 degrees in your oven or toaster oven till the cheese is lightly browned.