Applebee’s Quesadillas

Menu Description: iwo cheeses, bacon, tomatoes, onions 8 j&openos
grilled between tortillas with guacamole, sour cream & salsa.
When Bill and Tj. Palmer opened their first restaurant in At- lanta, Georgia, in 1980, they realized their dream ofbuilding a fulle service, reasonably-priced restaurant in a neighborhood setting. They called their first place T.J. Applebee’s Edibles & Elixirs, and soon began franchising the concept. In 1988 some franchisees bought the rights to the name and changed it to Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar. By that time, there were 54 restaurants in the organization. Today there are over 650, making Applebee’s one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the world.
According to waiters at the restaurant, the easyatoemake and slightly spicy quesadillas are one of the most popular appetizers on the Applebee’s menu. The recipe calls for 10-inch or “burritos ize” flour tortillas, which can be found in most supermarkets, but any size can be used in a pinch. Look for the jalapeno “nacho slices” in the ethnic or Mexican food section of the supermarket. You’ll find these in jars or cans. Cilantro, which is growing immensely in popularity, can be found in the produce section near the parsley, and is also called fresh coriander or Chinese parsley.
2 10-inch (“burrito-size”) ½ medium tomato, chopped
flour tortillas 2 teaspoons diced onion
2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon diced canned
softe ne d j alap eno ( “ nacho sift e s”)
1/3 cup shredded Monterey 1 slice bacon, cooked
Jack cheese ¼ teaspoon finely chopped
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar fresh cilantro
cheese Dash salt
On the side
Sour cream Salsa
Guacamole

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
2. Spread half of the butter on one side of each tortilla. Put one tortilla, butter side down, in the 3.  hot pan.
3. Spread the cheeses evenly onto the center of the tortilla in the pan. You don’t have to spread the cheese all the way to the edge. Leave a margin of an inch or so all the way around.
4. Sprinkle the tomato, onion, and jalapeno over the cheese. 



5. Crumble the slice of cooked bacon and sprinkle it over the other ingredients.
6. Sprinkle the cilantro and a dash of salt over the other ingredients.
7. Top off the quesadilla with the remaining tortilla, being sure that the buttered side is facing up.
8. When the bottom tortilla has browned, after 45 to 90 seconds, flip the quesadilla over and grill the other side for the same length of time.
9. Remove the quesadilla from the pan, and, using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the quesadila three times through the middle like a pizza, creating 6 equal slices. Serve hot with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on the side.