1. Heat the tortillas until air pockets form:

   Heat a large skillet (cast iron works great) on medium high heat. Add a small amount of oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) and spread it around the bottom of the pan with a spatula (you could use butter as well).

   Take one large flour tortilla and place it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.

2. Add cheese and other ingredients:

   When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself.

   Add whatever additional ingredients you choose – green onion, sliced mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, etc. If you would like your quesadilla to be a chicken quesadilla, add some diced cooked chicken.

   Take care not to layer on the ingredients too thickly – this is a quesadilla, not a quiche!

3. Lower heat and cover pan:

   Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. The pan should be hot enough by now to have plenty of residual heat to melt the cheese and brown the tortilla. If the quesadilla begins to smoke too much, remove from the heat.

   After a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and keep checking every minute until the cheese is melted.

4. Fold tortilla over:

   When the cheese is sufficiently melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side, as if you were making an omelette.

   The tortilla should by now be browned slightly. If it is not browned, turn the heat up to high and flip the quesadilla over every 10 seconds or so until it gets browned.

5. Remove quesadilla from pan and cut into wedges:

   To make the lettuce to accompany the quesadilla, thinly slice some iceberg lettuce. Sprinkle some cider vinegar on it and some salt.

   Serve with the lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

NATIONAL COMIC BOOK DAY

Every year on September 25th, National Comic Book Day honors the art, artists and the stories of comic books. Fans and collectors, readers and artists come together to celebrate the day with events across the country.

First popularized in the United States, comic books are also called comic magazines. Generally, comic books produce drawn sequential and opposing panels representing individual scenes. Each scene often includes descriptive prose and written narratives. When placed together, the panels form a complete story or a portion of a serial.

The earliest comic strips, (which later gave birth to comic books), displayed dialogue in bubbles or balloons above characters’ heads. As an art form, the designs can be quite intricate. For example, text, dialogue, personalities, color and imagery all enhance part of a storyline. Over time, these storylines also distinguish eras, artists, genres and themes.

People who collect comic books are known as pannapictagraphist.

The term “comic book” comes from the first book sold as a book reprinted of humorous comic strips. Despite their name, comic books are not all humorous in tone and feature stories in all genres.

One of the earliest known comics printed was The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck. The 1842 hardcover comic book became the first known American comic book.

In 1896, a comic-book magazine was published in the United States featuring The Yellow Kid in a sequence titled “McFadden’s Row of Flats” drawn by Richard Felton Outcault. The 196-page book featured black and white print and measured 5×7 inches. It sold for 50 cents.

In 1933, a comic book, Famous Funnies, appeared in the United States. Many believe the work to be the first real comic book. The reprinting of earlier newspaper comic strips established many of the story-telling devices used in comics.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalComicBookDay

This dynamic art form continues to inspire artists and storytellers today. Try sharing your collections and artwork to spread the love. Attend a convention or visit a comic book store. Maybe you’ll discover a great find. Study the art of comic books. Explore the styles and artistry. Read about the history and how the medium changed and evolved.

Learn about the careers of Steve Ditko, John Buscema, Curt Swan or Carmine Infantino. Tell us who your favorite comic book artist or storyteller is.

Pick up a comic book to read and use #NationalComicBookDay to post on social media.

Educators, visit the National Day Calendar classroom for projects designed to include the days in your classroom.