Fall Butternut Squash Quesadillas

I have a very important quesadilla technique and recipe for you. It's so important, you will never make a quesadilla the same way again. Not only will this fall quesadilla made with butternut squash (and bacon) have you buying all the butternut squash you can get your hands on, but once you watch the recipe video and listen to one crucial sound bite, you will always make quesadillas using this technique. It involves the most obscene crunching noise imaginable. It's amazing.

Because it's football season in this house (her: go Packers, him: maybe the Redskins will go 8 and 8 this year!) our fall tradition of football meals continues. It's where we like to do a 'platter meal' of one main (like nachos or a quesadilla or a pizza or hell, why not, a rotisserie chicken) and pair it with lots of toppings and veggie sides. To be full and happy, you honestly only need to make one quesadilla for two people. The butternut squash is full of fiber to help you feel satisfied and vitamin A for eye health, while the cheese just makes you satisfied period. And if you've never had a delicious fontina, melty cheese, now's your chance.

The great thing about this fall quesadilla is helps introduce a more unusual piece of produce (butternut squash) to the family without all hell breaking loose. Because really, who is going to get upset about a quesadilla? Exactly. 

Watch the fall quesadilla recipe video below, or here on YouTube!

Fall Butternut Squash Quesadilla

Makes 1 quesadilla, honestly serves 2...really. So full. 

/// Ingredients /// 

• 2 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
• 3/4 c grated fontina cheese
• 1 T shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c sliced, cooked butternut squash
• 1/2 T pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 t chopped parsley
• 1/2 t thyme leaves
• 1 clove garlic, roasted or sautéed and minced
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 flour tortillas, 8 inch
• 1 T butter
• sour cream (topping)
• cranberry or lingonberry or currant jam (topping)

/// Directions /// Prep the ingredients to be placed in the quesadilla. Melt 1/2 T butter in a large skillet that will hold a tortilla completely flat. Once the butter is melted, swirl it around the pan and place one tortilla. Wait until browned and crisp on one side and remove it from the pan. Add the remaining butter and cook the second tortilla on once side. On the top of this tortilla (browned side still down), layer fontina cheese, bacon, squash, pumpkin seeds, garlic, cayenne and parmesan. Place the second tortilla, browned side up on top. Press the layers together with a spatula and heat until the cheese on the inside is melted. Remove from skillet and add sour cream, jam and herbs on top.