Portabella and Proscuitto Quesadilla with Red Pepper Tomato Soup

Even in the dog days of summer we are typically greeted with one day of impending chilly fall weather. It's a rare opportunity to let summer produce warm us from the inside.

This proscuitto and portabella mushroom mixture is absolutely fantastic! I don't want another quesadilla without it. But its more than just a filling, I could see this as an omelet filling or a topping for bruschetta or on a big fat juicy steak.

The soup is a simple one chocked full with nutritious veggies; adding the summer squash gives a hearty freshness not found in a typical tomato or pepper soup.

Make any time of the year fat and happy with this delicious soup and quesadilla combo.

Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: Substitute garlic cloves if you don't have garlic scapes.

Proscuitto and Portabella Mushroom Quesadilla
with 

Red Pepper Tomato Soup 

Tomato Red Pepper Soup

1 red pepper

1 large tomato

1 yellow squash

1/4 cup red onion

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

Fresh black pepper

2 garlic scapes
1 tbls olive oil
1 cup broth, more as needed

Mushroom Quesadilla

1 large portobella mushroom, diced small

2-3 thin slices of proscuitto, diced small

1 garlic clove

1 tbls jalapeno, finely diced

1 tbls butter

1 tbls olive oil

salt

pepper

1 tortilla

Colby cheddar cheese

Parmesan cheese

1/2 tbls butter

Tomato Red Pepper Soup: Chop the onion, garlic scapes (use the full scape) and the red pepper, place in a soup pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Cook until nearly softened, tossing often. Add in the remaining ingredients (tomato, squash, onion powder, seasoning salt, pepper) and cook until everything is soft. If the pan is getting too dry, add in the broth.

Place the soup in a blender and carefully blend until smooth, adding in more broth as needed to get desired soup consistency. Pour the soup back into the pan and keep warm until the quesadilla is ready.

Mushroom Quesadilla: Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Add in the olive oil, the butter, the diced portabella and prosciutto. Cook for a few minutes tossing often. Add in the minced garlic and jalapeno, lower the heat to medium and cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes, tossing often. Pour the mushroom mixture in a bowl, wipe out the pan and return to medium heat. Melt the butter the add in the tortilla. Fill half of the the tortilla with most of the mushroom mixture. Top with  desired amount of grated cheese. Fold the second side of the tortilla over, creating a half moon. Cook until golden brown then flip and brown on the second side.

Pour the soup into two bowls, adding in a scoop of the remaining mushroom mixture.  Cut the tortilla into wedges and serve on the side.

Yield: 2 servings: