Roasted Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place on the prepared foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven. 

While the sweet potatoes roast, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Roughly chop the cheese curds. Quarter the lime. Pit, peel, and thinly slice the avocado. Top half the sliced avocado with the juice of 1 lime wedge to prevent browning; season with salt and pepper. To make the avocado crema, in a bowl, combine the crema, remaining avocado, and a drizzle of olive oil. Using a fork, mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cut off and discard the root end of the lettuce; roughly chop the leaves. Roughly chop the pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling. 

While the sweet potatoes continue to roast, in a small pot, combine the sliced shallot, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat; stir in the juice of the remaining lime wedges. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

While the shallot cools, place the tortillas on a work surface. Top one side of each tortilla with the chopped cheese curds, roasted sweet potatoes (you may have extra), and as much of the chopped pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the tortillas in half over the filling. 

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the quesadillas and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the tortillas are lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Transfer to a cutting board and immediately season with salt and pepper; carefully cut in half. 

Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, pickled shallot, half the pickling liquid (you will have extra pickling liquid), and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the halved quesadillas with the salad. Top the salad with the seasoned avocado slices. Serve the avocado crema on the side. Enjoy!