honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, April 22, 2009

TASTE
Try 2 spicy, smoky Tex-Mex delights

 •  Building a restaurant

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

You can save time when making shrimp quesadilla by buying cooked, peeled shrimp. Or you can use raw ones like these, and do the cooking and peeling yourself.

Advertiser library photo

spacer spacer

Quesadillas are hot sandwiches, Tex-Mex style. Filled with juicy shrimp, melted cheese and spicy salsa, ours makes a quick Southwestern meal.

Most quesadillas are made by filling tortillas and folding them over. For this dinner, the tortillas are stacked and filled.

The side dish has a smoky chipotle dressing. Chipotles are red jalapeno peppers that are ripened, dried and smoked. They're sold dried or canned in adobo sauce. I used powdered chipotle, found in the spice section, to give a smoked flavor to bottled dressing.

This meal contains 553 calories with 29 percent of calories from fat.

Any type of salsa can be used. Any type of 8-inch tortilla can be used. Use 2 skillets to speed cooking time. Serve beer, such as Lone Star, to complement the quesadillas.

SHRIMP QUESADILLA

  • 1/2 pound peeled, cooked shrimp

  • Vegetable oil spray

  • 4 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas

  • 1/2 cup drained tomato salsa

  • 1 cup reduced-fat, shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided use

    Heat broiler. Slice shrimp in half lengthwise, from tail to head end. Heat a nonstick oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Spray with vegetable oil spray.

    Place 1 tortilla in skillet. Spread half the salsa on the tortilla. Place half the shrimp on the salsa. Set aside 1/4 cup shredded cheese; sprinkle half the remaining cheese over the shrimp. Cover with a second tortilla and cover skillet with a lid. Cook 2 minutes. Remove lid and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the reserved cheese on top of the tortilla. Place the skillet under the broiler for 1 minute. Transfer the quesadilla to a plate with a spatula. Repeat for second quesadilla. Makes 2 servings.

  • Per serving: 468 calories (31 percent from fat), 16.1 g fat (8 g saturated, 3.1 g mono-unsaturated), 208 mg cholesterol, 43 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 1,277 mg sodium

    CHIPOTLE CORN SALAD

  • 1/8 teaspoon powdered chipotle chile pepper

  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

  • 2 cups washed, ready-to-eat shredded lettuce

  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted (1 minute in microwave oven)

    Stir chipotle powder into dressing. Place shredded lettuce on a plate.

    Sprinkle corn over the lettuce. Drizzle sauce over salad. Makes 2 servings.

  • Per serving: 85 calories (21 percent from fat), 2 g fat (0.2 g saturated, 0.6 g mono-unsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 3.1 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 3.1 g fiber, 221 mg sodium