As most of us human beings today are aware, social media is taking over the world! So much so that it can influence us into doing things that we see online.. in our real life. I do my best to scroll right past negativity, hateful videos, and toxic posts, but when I see an incredible dish that everyone is recreating I HAVE to try it out! When it goes viral on Tiktok it must be insane in the best way possible. Am I right Diamonds?!

These quesadilla paninis are a total mashup of your two favorite lunch foods combined into one! A pretty panini sandwich and the ever so popular quesadilla. This was something I definitely did not want to miss out indulging in because I knew it would be perfection all around. You Diamonds already know that I love to put things together that have endless ways, and options of creating it, so this just had my name written all over it! The most wonderful thing about it is that you could put anything in the world on it! This is also a great way to get your kids to eat more vegetables throughout the day, or also introducing new combinations to yourself as well.

I wasn’t even sure at first how many I should create since I had 100 possibilities running through my mind, but if you love these then there will definitely be more to come! I picked two different kinds that have lots of cheese, textures, and flavors throughout the tortilla!

• As you can tell these are super super easy to make, and most importantly.. so much FUN! If your kids are getting a little antsy, unsure of what to do with themselves now that the holidays are over, get them in the kitchen with you! When you let them cook their own meal they are always more excited to eat it, and best of all.. love it! It excites them to know that they did something they think is “adult” like! 🙂 That makes them feel extremely important, and that is how they should feel!

The first step is the most necessary because otherwise this dish would not even be able to exist!

1. Cut a perfectly straight slit down the center of each tortilla that you are making. This is what allows you to fold each section on top of one another to make the quesadilla panini!

Now, I am fully aware that none of you Diamonds need to be shown how to cook your bacon since it’s something that everyone likes cooked in a different manner, but I wanted to show you how I like mine cooked before it gets heated up again! Normally when I’m eating bacon alongside my breakfast ..I like it on the crispier side, but if i’m putting it inside of something where it’s going to get more heat conducted on it, it’s nice to not cook it as much as you normally would. It’s way more enjoyable to eat a sandwich that doesn’t have overcooked bacon inside of it!

The sriracha ranch, cheesy bacon & potato quesadilla:

Four sections= Four steps to creating these paninis:

1. First section- one slice of American cheese and a fried hash brown. You can also bake these hash browns, but for this particular dish I definitely would choose frying over baking because you want that golden crispiness! We want the potato to be the star of this panini, and without the crispiness everything else would over shine it.
2. Second section- one slice of American cheese and two slices of thick cut bacon (cooked to your liking).
3. Third section- yellow & white sharp shredded cheddar cheese with sriracha drizzled on top.
4. Fourth & final section– Ranch dressing topped with tons of sliced green onion for flavor!

Cheesy chipotle mayo barbecue chicken quesadilla:

1. First section- Mayo, one slice of American cheese, breaded chicken, and chipotle sauce drizzled over top. You’re welcome to use grilled chicken, but the fried chicken is just too yummy, so why use anything else?
2. Second section- Three thin slices of tomatoes. I will say the tomatoes did try to slide out of the panini while it was getting pressed because of it’s moisture, so if you wanted to you can chop the tomatoes, and add them on that way.
3. Third section- shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese, topped with barbecue sauce, and thinly sliced red onion. (make sure the onion is cut nice & thin. You don’t want the flavor to overpower anything else)
4. Fourth & final section- A handful of baby spinach with the stems ripped off.

The most important step: Folding your quesadilla into a perfectly stacked panini.

• All you have to do is take you first section at the bottom left hand corner and fold it upwards covering the top left second section, then keep folding again to cover the third section until everything is folded into a layered quesadilla!

After folding, it’s time to panini press each quesadilla!

• Set your panini press to medium/medium high heat.
• Cook for six minutes or until it is golden brown to your liking!

When your quesadillas are sizzling with gorgeous golden brown marks on top that’s when two have officially become one! 😉 You’ll want nothing more than to devour these crispy, savory sandwiches while watching all your favorite shows on Netflix! These are perfect to throw together for after school snacks if dinner is going to be later than usual, or to pack for a picnic when spring starts to bloom! You cannot go wrong with food like this, ever! Even the pickiest of eaters will not turn their nose up to these ones Diamonds.

If you recreate this viral trend, tag me on facebook @DeepFriedDiamonds or on Instagram @therealdeepfrieddiamonds

XOXO