Best and Easiest Quesadillas Ever

Adapted from Rachel Ray’s cookbook for kids

Using a large cookie sheet type pan, lay out flour tortillas, not over lapping. Top as desired. Some popular combos at my house:

-cheese
-refried beans and cheese
- chicken, beans, and cheese
-anything else that pleases you
-salsa also if desired.

Once your quesadillas have a layer of filling, top with another tortilla.
Bake 5 minutes at 350. They should look melty inside at this point.
Pull out of the oven and top with shredded cheese. You can also add salsa here.
Bake again until the cheese on top is bubbly and the tortillas begin to brown around the edges.
Remove from oven and let set a few minutes. I prefer to cut into wedges with a pizza wheel. It cuts soooo much better after setting a spell.
I top the finished wedges with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on each piece.

This recipe is easy for kids to do. I just assist with the oven part, adding cheese to the hot pan, and cutting. It is healthier than any fried versions of quesadillas and tastes great. My kids eat one quesadilla each.

Also, make no mistake about it, the adults in my house love these too. You don't have to be a kid just because it was from a cookbook for kids!

Cold Marinated Shrimp

From Mary

2 lbs. cooked med. shrimp, peeled and deveined (Costco has a 2# cooked, tail off shrimp, frozen in a bag)
1 med. red onion cut into rings
2 med. lemons, cut into slices
1 c. pitted ripe olives (1 can)
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. minced fresh parsley (less of dried)
3 T. cider or red wine vinegar (balsamic vinegar has tons of flavor)
3 T. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced (or garlic pwd.)
1 bay leaf (or not, if you don’t have one)
1 T. minced fresh basil or 1 t. dried
1 t. salt (omit)
1 t. ground mustard (emergency sub: one big squirt of table mustard)
1/3 t. pepper

Mary said you could use 4 lbs shrimp and not double marinade.
In 3 qt. glass bowl (or gallon zip lock bag), combine shrimp, onion, lemons, olives. In jar with tight fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients. Shake well Pour over shrimp mixture and stir gently to coat (I put in bag before shrimp and massaged it instead then added shrimp). Cover and refrigerate for 24 hrs., stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf before serving.

I put whole business in plastic bags and turned once in awhile.

Drain marinade and discard. Serve in a large flat dish, with dipping sauce on the side: mix cocktail sauce and mayo but Mary just uses catsup, horseradish and mayo.

There is a note on my adaptations: There was an increase in flavor with my changes. However, there was a loss in the color of the shrimp. The basamic vinegar darkened the shrimp somewhat. That didn't stop them from being the hit of the party, though. Just be aware.

Earthquake Cake

(I think I got this recipe from Becky)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread 1 cup chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts) on the bottom of a sprayed 13x9 cake pan. On top of nuts, sprinkle 1 cup coconut.

Mix 1 box German chocolate cake mix (you can also use a favorite chocolate cake mix. It will all taste good) according to package directions , then pour the batter over the nuts and coconut mixture, without stirring.

In a microwave, melt one stick of butter and 8 oz. package of cream cheese (I prefer Neufchatel). Watch carefully. You don’t want to burn it. Remove from microwave and stir in one lb. of powdered sugar.

Pour this mixture over the top of the cake batter without stirring. It should be random. Blops, drips, etc. over the top of the batter. You are NOT trying to cover it evenly.

Bake in a preheated 350°F for 35-45 minutes. Use standard ways to test doneness. Poke through chocolate cake areas.

It will become obvious why it is called Earthquake Cake. Is awesome served warm and topped with ice cream.