SAVED BY THE SMELL

Tiffani Thiessen shares her treasured midday meal with Us

Quesadillas, but make it fancy! “This is truly one of my favorite lunches to prepare and serve,” Tiffani Thiessen — whose blog, tiffanithiessen.com, has tons of tasty recipes — tells Us. Not only is the dish “such an easy way to impress guests without being difficult,” notes Thiessen, but it’s also guilt-free. “It’s really healthy,” the Saved by the Bell alum continues, “and meets a lot of people’s dietary needs.” In other words, feel free to dive right in!

Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Smoky Crème Fraîche

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp chipotle in

adobo puree

2 tsp ground

coriander

2 tsp smoked

paprika

11/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup crème fraîche 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking quesadillas

1 lb peeled butternut squash cubes (about 2 inches each)

1 small red onion, thinly sliced Juice of 1 lime

8 (10-inch) flour tortillas

12 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 sliced pickled jalapeño, to taste

1 avocado, chopped Cilantro leaves, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the chipotle puree, coriander, paprika, salt and cumin. Remove half of the mixture to another small bowl and stir in the crème fraîche. Refrigerate the smoky crème fraîche until ready to serve.

Take the remaining chipotle mixture and stir in the olive oil. Toss the chipotle and oil mixture with the butternut squash. Place on a sheet tray and bake in the oven about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the squash is deeply caramelized in places and fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before pureeing into a smooth paste in a food processor.

While the squash cooks, mix the red onion and lime juice together in a small bowl along with salt to taste. Let sit for 20 minutes, or until the onions soften.

When ready to make quesadillas, lay out four flour tortillas. Divide 6 oz of the cheese blend between the four tortillas, top each tortilla with about ¼ cup of the butternut squash puree, spreading the mixture evenly across the tortilla, then top with the remaining cheese. Add sliced pickled jalapeño to taste and then top with the remaining four tortillas.

Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, sauté pan or griddle pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the quesadillas in batches. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is beginning to melt. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from pan and let cool slightly. Repeat cooking the quesadillas, adding oil as needed.

Serve the quesadillas with the smoky crème fraîche, pickled red onions, chopped avocado and cilantro.