Sweet potato pork quesadillas {Secret Recipe Club}

I was super excited to have my food blogger friend Sarah's blog this month for the Secret Recipe Club. And it just so happens that she had mine last month! I've been following her blog The Pajama Chef for a few years now and always enjoy reading it. Sarah lives in Nashville with her husband, kitties, and a new adorable baby I just saw on Instagram. While browsing through Sarah's recipes I saw many that I wanted to try (mango coconut granola, rhubarb muffins, and crock pot honey sesame chicken, just to name a few) some that I've tried in the past like these amazing Apple Fritters. I ended up choosing these Sweet Potato Pork Quesadillas for a Cinco de Mayo meal.

I loved the combination of sweet and spicy and my husband gave these a big thumbs up! Pregnancy has made me want spicy food more often lately - and has given me the ability to tolerate and enjoy higher levels of heat than normally. So, I piled on the pickled jalapenos on mine. Below is my slightly modified version of the recipe. This recipe made 4 quesadillas, and will serve about two people for a main dish.

Sweet potato pork quesadillas
1 medium sweet potato
1/2 lb. ground pork
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
4 burrito-sized flour tortillas
2 cups grated cheese (I used pepper jack)
sour cream, for serving
pickled jalapenos, for serving

Prick the sweet potato with a fork and microwave until soft, about 8-10 minutes (alternatively, you can bake it in the oven for about 45 minutes, which I did because we don't have a microwave). When soft, let cool for a few minutes. Remove the skin, place the flesh into a medium bowl, and mash with a fork.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and then add the pork. Cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain the fat and return the pork to the pan. Add the chili powder, a pinch of salt, a couple grinds of black pepper, garlic, and green onions. Cook until the green onion are softened. Stir in the sweet potato until warmed and then remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro.

Heat large dry skillet (cast-iron or non-stick), or the flat side of a griddle pan over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet and add 1/4 of the cheese and 1/4 of the sweet potato pork mixture on half of the tortilla. Fold the other half over. When browned, flip and brown the other side. Continue with the remaining tortillas.

Cut each into four wedges and serve with sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

What was I cooking one year ago?: baked cinnamon-orange French toast
Two years ago?: German egg pancakes
Three years ago?: cold German potato salad
Four?: Mexican brownies
Five?: spinach, strawberry, & feta salad
6?: roasted asparagus & goat cheese salad w/ honey-balsamic vinaigrette

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