Cheesy Ground Beef & Pepper Quesadillas

Prepare the vegetables by washing, coring, and dicing 2 medium bell peppers into 1/4-inch pieces, and peeling and finely dicing 1 medium yellow onion.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb of ground beef and cook for 6 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon into small crumbles, until the beef is browned and no longer pink.

Add the diced bell peppers and yellow onion to the skillet with the browned ground beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.

Stir in 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the beef mixture evenly. Transfer the seasoned beef and pepper mixture to a clean plate.

Assemble the quesadillas by laying out 8 flour tortillas. Divide the beef and pepper mixture evenly among the tortillas, spreading about 1/3 cup of filling onto one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the filling on each tortilla.

Fold each tortilla in half to enclose the filling, pressing down gently to seal and compact the ingredients.

Wipe the skillet clean and heat 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Place 2 to 3 quesadillas in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes per side, until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy, and the cheddar cheese is completely melted. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan as needed.

Cut the toasted quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with sour cream or salsa on the side if desired.