Bean and cheese quesadillas

Yesterday afternoon James came home for lunch and I threw together a quick meal of bean and cheese quesadillas.  As we ate, I told him "you know, this is a pretty inexpensive lunch".  Of course, I wanted to know just how inexpensive it was, so I tallied up the cost--are you ready?? 

The recipe I created came to a grand total of $2.41 for 6 quesadillas--that's about 40 cents for each quesadilla.  No joke! 

Wanna make a cheap (and quick) lunch, too?

For 6 quesadillas you'll need:

1 can fat-free refried beans ($ .69/can at Aldi)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ($1.12 for this amount, 2.99 for 4-cup bag at Aldi)
6 8" flour tortillas  ($ .99 cents for a 10-pack at Aldi, 10 cents each)
A spritz of non-stick cooking spray

On 1/2 of a flour tortilla, spread 1/4 cup refried beans and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese.  Fold tortilla over, creating a half-moon shape.  Spritz each side of quesadilla with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook over medium heat in a non-stick skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned.  

If you add a generous 1 oz. scoop of sour cream for dipping, you add about 6 extra cents--assuming you buy your sour cream at Aldi like I do. Less than 50 cents for a filling lunch? Cool, huh?  James and I each ate one quesadilla and were filled, and sweet Elliott ate 1/2 of a quesadilla alongside a juicy nectarine.  There are even leftovers in the fridge for today's lunch--bonus!

Tip: Store any uneaten quesadillas in the refrigerator and reheat leftovers in a skillet for best texture.  I would not recommend re-heating in the microwave if you like a crisp tortilla.

Please, leave a comment and share any inexpensive meals you create for yourself and your family--leave a link if you have one!