Steakhouse Quesadillas

Step 1: Steak ... Let the steak come to room temperature and season well with salt and pepper. Bring a saute pan to medium high to high heat and add olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Fry the steak on the first side until golden brown. Once it is golden brown on the first side, flip and cook until the steak is done to your liking. I like medium rare. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil for 5-10 minutes to let it rest before slicing. Once it has rested cut in thin slices. Now, obviously if you are using leftovers, just skip this step.

Step 2: Mushrooms and Onions ... In the same pan you cooked the steak in, add the mushrooms and onions. You should not need to add any additional oil, but if the pan is very dry, you can add a bit of butter if necessary. Note: if using leftover steak, this will be your first step and you will not have any drippings from the beef to use. So, just start by adding butter to the pan and bring to medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and onions until tender (about 5 minutes). Then, if using leftover beef, you can add it at this time to warm it up. Then, add the steak sauce and mix to combine and warmed through. Remove from the heat.

Step 3: Quesadillas ... I find that the quesadillas can tear if they are not warm; so, just microwave for 5 seconds and they will become slightly warm and pliable. Then, add 1 slice of the cheese to one side of the quesadilla, top with steak slices, and some of the onions and mushrooms in the sauce; top with the other slice of cheese and fold over the tortilla to make a half moon.

Step 4: Cook ... Brush the top of the tortilla - lightly with olive oil, and put the oiled side down in a pan on medium heat . Lightly press down and cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown; flip, and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side, and the cheese is completely melted. Remember the vegetables and steak are already cooked.

Step 5: Serve ... Remove from the heat, let them rest a minute, and cut into wedges. A horseradish sauce or sour cream and chives are a nice garnish if you want. Serve with a bowl of creamy potato soup or spinach salad; my favorites, and ENJOY!