Quesadillas with Pear Salsa

I had some leftover pears I wanted to use after making the Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake, and came across this recipe on MyRecipes.com. I normally don't care much for quesadillas, but the pear salsa intrigued me. At the same time, I wasn't sure if I would like it, especially since I wasn't sure what a pear salsa would taste like. There were a few good reviews on the website, though, so I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did! This meal comes together so quickly, and it is so good!

I did not have any mint on hand so I substituted cilantro, but I'm anxious to try this recipe again with the mint. Along with the Pineapple Black Bean Enchiladas, this is the second Mexican dish I have made recently that includes fruit! :)

Jack Quesadillas with Pear Salsa
from Cooking Light


Pear salsa:
4 cups chopped peeled Anjou pear (2 pounds)
1/3 cup chopped red onion (I used y
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried mint (I didn't have any, so I used cilantro instead)
1 tablespoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (I didn't have one, so I used some Sambal Oelek chili paste instead)

Quesadillas:
8 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used Cheddar Jack)
1/2 cup chopped green onions

To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; cover and chill.

To prepare the quesadillas, place 1 tortilla in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons onions; top with a tortilla. Cook 3 minutes, pressing down with a spatula until cheese melts. Turn carefully, and cook until thoroughly heated (about 1 minute). Repeat procedure with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and green onions. Cut each quesadilla into sixths; serve with pear salsa.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 4 quesadilla wedges and 1/2 cup salsa)