Pork-Sweet Potato Quesadillas

I do not do New Years Resolutions... I am just not a goal oriented person. Unless it happens to do with food. So, my goal for this year is to try out recipes that I would normally skip over because they sound wired or look gross. I am trying  to expand my horizons people!

Enter the Pork-Sweet Potato Quesadillas. Now who would put sweet potatoes in a quesadilla, weird! The perfect recipe to satisfy my goal. And wow! These were divine. I am not a leftover person (no goals, no leftovers, got it?), and I was seriously eating these for a few days (it makes a lot). My husband was so-so on them, my kids thought they were great (the orange is cheese right mom?). So I will be making theses again, and they were surprisingly simple!

 Pork-Sweet Potato Quesadillas

1 medium sweet potato
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound ground pork
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or 1 cup each shredded cheddar and jack cheese)
Sliced pickled jalapenos and sour cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pierce the sweet potato a few times with a fork and microwave until soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the skin and mash the flesh with a fork; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, chile powder and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, sweet potato and scallions and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Add the cilantro and season with salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Wipe out the skillet; add 1/2 tablespoon butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla, spread one-quarter of the pork mixture on one half and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and cook until the quesadilla is golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve with pickled jalapenos and sour cream, if desired.