
Hanks in the kitchen with the Back Porch Breakfast Quesadilla of Regret and Redemption
This one was invented by somebody who opened the fridge, squinted, and said, “Yeah… that’ll probably work.”
What You’ll Need
- 1 large tortilla
- 1 egg
- A handful of shredded cheese
- 2 strips cooked bacon or a little sausage, chopped
- A spoonful of refried beans or leftover mashed potatoes
- Butter or oil
- Salt, pepper
Optional but powerful: a splash of hot sauce or a spoon of salsa
Step One: Establish Control of the Skillet
Put a skillet on medium heat. Add a little butter. Not a polite amount. A confident amount. Let it melt and swirl around like it owns the place.
Step Two: Cook the Egg Like You Mean It
Crack the egg into the skillet and scramble it up right there. No bowl. No ceremony. Just stir it around till it’s fluffy and done but not dry like a church potluck chicken breast.
Sprinkle salt and pepper. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
Step Three: Build the Foundation
Lay your tortilla flat in that same skillet. Keep the heat medium-low now. We’re toasting, not cremating.
Spread a thin layer of refried beans or mashed potatoes on half the tortilla. This is your edible glue. This is structural engineering.
Step Four: The Pile-Up
On top of the beans, add:
- Scrambled egg
- Bacon or sausage
- A generous snowfall of cheese
Fold the tortilla in half like you’re closin a book on bad decisions.
Step Five: Toast to Greatness
Press it gently with a spatula. Let it cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. If cheese starts tryin to escape out the sides, that means success.
Flip carefully. Confidence helps.
Step Six: The Moment of Truth
Slide it onto a plate or a cutting board if you’re civilized. Let it rest one minute so the cheese settles down.
Cut into triangles. Optional hot sauce drizzle across the top like lightning on a summer sky.
What You’ve Created
A crispy outside.
A gooey, savory inside.
Protein, carbs, dairy, and questionable timing all in one handheld masterpiece.
It’s breakfast. It’s midnight snack. It’s emotional support wrapped in a tortilla.

Adam Hess has been involved in radio broadcasting since 1990, with many of those years spent on the air at WRCO FM in Richland Center. Currently, Adam hosts the Weekend Wake-up and Prime Mover Saturdays on WRCO FM, jumps in and helps out with news duties, handles Social Media duties for WRCO and WRCE, and is the Director of Technology at a Southwest Wisconsin School District. Reach him at adam.hess@civicmedia.us.
Want More Local News?
Civic Media
Civic Media Inc.
The Civic Media App
Put us in your pocket.