Beverly Nuber | CoServ

I’m not sure Thanksgiving leftovers have ever tasted better than as part of a quesadilla topped with cranberry bacon jam. This one is a family favorite in Nuber’s household, and the jam is “always a hit, even for the most defiant cranberry haters,” she says.

—Vianney Rodriguez, Food Editor

Cranberry Bacon Jam
8 slices bacon
2 cups diced onion
2 cups cranberry sauce
Juice of 1 lemon

Quesadilla
2 cups shredded colby jack cheese, divided use
2 9-inch flour tortillas
1 cup chopped cooked turkey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, divided use
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cranberry bacon jam (recipe below)

1. Cranberry Bacon Jam In a skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy. Remove and drain bacon drippings, leaving behind 2 tablespoons.

2. Reduce heat to low. Add onion to bacon drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15–20 minutes.

3. Crumble cooked bacon and add to skillet. Stir in cranberry sauce and cook until mixture slightly thickens, about 10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Recipe makes 2–3 cups, and bacon jam can be made ahead and refrigerated up to a week or frozen up to 6 months.

5. Quesadilla Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over 1 tortilla, then top with turkey, cumin, jalapeño and ¼ cup cilantro. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over cilantro and top with second tortilla.

6. In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook quesadilla 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3–4 minutes or until slightly crisp. Remove from skillet and slice into wedges.

7. Spread sour cream over top of quesadilla. Spread cranberry bacon jam over sour cream and top with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

Serves 1–2.