Pumpkin & Caramelized Veggie Quesadilla

Happy Friday!!! How's the weather in your neck of the woods? Winter has finally arrived in Southwestern Ontario - it's snowy and cold out there! In fact, I had a heck of a time getting in the house after work yesterday. The handle of our screen door was frozen solid and I could not get it to budge to unlatch. It was dark, it was windy and it was darn cold out there! I whacked and whacked at the handle and finally it came loose. My poor dogs were inside when all this was going on and they were going nuts when I finally got in!

When it's blustery outside, I love nothing more than to hunker down at home with the fireplace going and a nice comforting meal in the oven. Warm winter comfort food really is good for the soul! This recipe isn't only comforting, but it's also the perfect meal to make for one or two. Derek went from working 25 hours a week after he was unexpectedly laid off to working 2 jobs and being gone ALOT. This was an awesome lonely-girl meal for just me! It was so good, I just might make it again tomorrow :-)

This dinner idea just sort of came to me. First I started thinking about what I could do with some leftover pumpkin that really needed to be used up. I don't know how I came up with a quesadilla, but once it came, my mind went wild with what I could pair it with to make a most fabulous meal. My initial plan was pumpkin with caramelized onion and mushrooms. I had half a yellow pepper that needed to be used so I threw it in and the sage was a last minute thing that I spied at the grocery store and then I just couldn't leave it behind!

Pumpkin & Caramelized Veggie Quesadilla

Serves 1

2 small whole wheat tortillas

3 tbsp pumpkin (I used some leftover canned pumpkin. You could roast pumpkin or a winter squash and mash it up and it would be perfect!)

2 fresh sage leaves, chopped finely

2 tsp butter

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 of a sweet onion, thinly sliced

3 crimini mushroom caps, diced

1/4 c yellow pepper, diced

3 tbsp shredded mozzrella cheese

Preheat your oven to 400.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet. Once melted, add the onion and sea salt. Cook the onion for 7 - 8 minutes. Make sure you stir constantly because you want the onion to carmelize and turn a golden brown. You do not want to let it burn!

Add the pepper amd mushrooms and cook an additional 5 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, mix together the pumpkin and sage in a small bowl.

Once the veggies are cooked, you're ready to assemble your quesadilla. Start by placing one tortilla flat on the bottom of an oven-safe baking pan. Spread the pumpkin mixture evenly over the tortlla. Add the veggies followed by the cheese and then cover with the second tortilla.

Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Flip the quesadilla over halfway through the cooking time.

Once the tortilla has been heated through and is starting to brown around the edges, remove from the oven. Let sit for 5 minutes and then cut into wedges.

There are more veggies than you need for one quesadilla. I used the leftovers to top a veggie burger!

Sage is a perfect addition to this quesadilla.

To assemble:

Okay, so this quesadilla is a wee bit sloppy and HOT.

Definitely give it 5 or 10 minutes before you cut and dig in!

Serve! I had mine all on its own, but next time I think a little sour cream for dippin' would be fabulous!

This quesadilla is quite different from a traditional quesadilla. The flavours of the pumpkin and sage pair perfectly with the carmelized onion. It just screams comfort!!!

What's your favourite comfort food? Is there a combo of foods that just scream comfort to you?

Take a deep breath and get through the next few hours! Sweet weekend freedom is just around the corner my friends!  

Andrea