I admit it:  I am a shrimp-a-holic.

Shrimp quesadilla with corn salsa | Pic by Wendy Chatham

These little crustaceans are versatile and can be added to nearly any category of supper from exotic Thai cuisine to a backyard barbeque. And they are incredibly low in fat! Shrimp are relatively inexpensive depending on how you purchase them. When it comes to convenience, I prefer peeled, uncooked, frozen shrimp with the tail still on.

I also adore lots of color in my cooking, so I try to find a way to use colorful fruits and vegetables such as red and orange bell peppers and red onions.

This recipe is a combo of fun, color, and the delicious, versatile shrimp. It is good for the nearly novice chef to show off some great skills, or as a training for older children still learning the kitchen ropes. Serve as an appetizer or even as a casual supper.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Serves 4

½ TBSP vegetable oil

½ cup red or yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-1 inch chunks

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and rinsed, cut into ½-1 inch chunks

¼ cup red onion, cut into ½-1 inch chunks

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, Mexican blend cheese, or combination of both

¼ cup cilantro leaves, plucked off the stem

½ pound medium size raw shrimp, peeled

4 medium -size flour tortillas

½ tsp cumin

Cayenne pepper, if desired, to taste

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Saute the peppers and onions over medium heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp to the peppers and continue until shrimp is done, approximately 8 minutes. (For beginners, the shrimp is cooked when it is pink all over, and it no longer appears shiny when cut open.) When the shrimp is close to being done, add the cumin and some cayenne, if you wish.

Lay out the tortillas on a large, ungreased baking sheet. Spoon filling onto half of each tortilla so it can be folded over. On each tortilla, layer 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture, ¼ cup of the shrimp and pepper mix, several cilantro leaves, then two more tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Fold in half. All four can hopefully fit on one baking sheet.

Set the oven to a low broil. Be sure to set the oven rack closer to the center of the oven, otherwise they will scorch. Broil for approximately 2 minutes on each side, keeping careful attention after each minute. The tortillas should be just turning brown on each side. Depending on your oven, you may wish to broil them an additional minute. Serve with sour cream and corn salsa.

Wendy’s Corn Salsa

One can of Bush’s black beans, thoroughly rinsed (I use the reduced sodium type)

One 11-ounce can of Green Giant sweet corn (or fresh corn if you like)

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup plus one tablespoon finely chopped red onion

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1-2 Tablespoons of lime juice, or to taste.

Mix all of these ingredients together and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

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