Pizza Pockets

For dinner tonight I was looking for something yummy, quick, and that used ingredients on hand -- especially my herb garden.

My basil is going crazy. The Rosemary is on the bottom left, behind it is Thyme, and behind the Basin on the right is Sage -- YUMMMMMM!

So I started looking and came across two recipes by Rachel Ray for taco pockets and Pizza Quesedillas. So I combined the two with a few additions of my own. Plus, as an added bonus it is something that can be both gluten-free and not.

First I browned about 3/4-lbs of hamburger with about 1/4 tsp garlic powder (out of regular garlic tonight), and about 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin, salt and pepper all in olive oil. Doesn't it look yummy already.

Next I added two cans (14.5 oz) of drained, petite diced tomatoes and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. While I broke up about 3/4 C of fresh basil.

Next I assembled the gluten-free version. It was more of a quesedilla. The recipe called for smoked mozzarella which I didn't have so I used Provolone. I put some olive oil in the pan and then I moved both the top and bottom tortillas around the pan on both sides to get them oiled. Then I put the bottom tortilla down in the pan and placed the cheese down and then added the tomato mixture and then topped it with basil.

Then I added a little more slices of cheese to the top to get the top of the quesadilla to "stick".

I then topped it with another tortilla, flipping it over when the cheese was melted on the bottom. I made two of these. When they were done cooking I put them on a plate in the oven on low so they wouldn't get cold while I made the non-gluten-free versions.

Like before I layered the cheese, tomatoes and basil on the tortilla, but this time I used a 12-inch flour tortilla.


I then folded it up so it made and envelope.

I then added a little more olive oil to the pan and cooked it with the folds on the bottom first to keep it closed and then flipped it. Doesn't it look pretty.

My kids loved it -- almost as much as the fresh corn-on-the-cob from the garden. YUM!