Roasted Squash, Red Pepper and Jack Cheese Quesadillas

This is the epitome of cozy fall food.

a 3/4 pound seedless piece of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, unpeeled, cut into eighths
1 large garlic clove, unpeeled
1 tbs vegetable oil
8 five or six-inch flour tortillas
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup coarsely grated jack cheese
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

Preheat over to 400 degrees.
In a shallow baking pan arrange squash, onion and garlic in one layer and drizzle with oil, tossing to coat. Roast mixture in oven for 15 minutes, or until garlic is tender, and transfer garlic to a work surface. Roast squash and onion until tender, about 15 minutes more. Discard peels from onion and garlic.

In a food processor puree squash, onion and garlic with salt and pepper to taste until smooth.

Spread about 1/4 squash puree on each of 4 tortillas and sprinkle with about 1/4 bell pepper and 1/4 cheese. Top each with a plain tortilla, pressing gently together. Spread each side of quesadillas with 1/2 tbs butter.

Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until hot and cook quesadillas, 1 at a time, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side, transferring to cutting board.

Cut each into 6 or 8 wedges and serve warm with chipotle lime sour cream dip (see recipe below).

CHIPOTLE LIME SOUR CREAM DIP

1 canned chipotle chili in adobo, minced
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 cup sour cream

In a small bowl stir chili and lime juice into sour cream until combined.

Recipes courtesy The Best of Gourmet, 1996