A cheese quesadilla built on what you have. The queso half wedge melts into the flour tortillas, so you need little more than what's in the pantry to make dinner for two in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 390 calories a serving, 10 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 wedge queso half, 1 cup [125 grams] flour, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 small onion.

1. Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl until a soft dough forms. Knead for one minute, cover, and let rest for five minutes while you slice 1 small onion thin.5 min
2. Divide the dough into two balls. On a floured surface, flatten one ball into a thin round about eight inches across, working from the center outward.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, lay the first tortilla flat in the pan and cook for one minute until it begins to set.1 min
4. Scatter half the sliced onion over the tortilla, then grate or slice half the queso wedge over the onion. The moment the cheese begins to soften, fold the tortilla in half and flip to cook the second side for one minute until both sides are light golden.2 min
5. Transfer the quesadilla to a plate. Flatten the second ball of dough into another thin round the same size as the first.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and repeat with the second tortilla, the rest of the onion, and the remaining queso. Cook until the second side is light golden, then transfer to the plate.2 min

Note Swap the queso half for any cheese on hand; mozzarella, cheddar, or even cream cheese will work. Wrapped in foil, leftovers hold three days in the fridge and reheat well in a dry pan. Serve with salsa if you have it, or squeeze lime over each quesadilla to brighten it.

A bubbling skillet of melted queso with chorizo and roasted peppers, the sort of thing you eat straight from the pan with crusty bread or tortillas. The remaining queso half goes to work on this one substantial dish, cooked and on the table in under twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 310 calories a serving, 7 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 60% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need half the block queso half, 2 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 4 ounces chorizo, one 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers.

1. Slice the chorizo into thin rounds, about a quarter-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chorizo until the edges brown, stirring once, about 3 minutes; mince 2 cloves garlic and add it in the last minute.3 min
2. Drain and chop the roasted peppers into bite-sized pieces and add them to the skillet with the chorizo. Tear the queso half into chunks and stir everything together until the queso begins to melt, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Lower the heat to medium and let the queso melt through completely, stirring gently, until it forms a warm pool with chorizo and peppers mixed in, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The pan is ready when the queso is fully melted and bubbling at the edges.5 min

Note Swap the roasted peppers for fresh ones sautéed in the same skillet before adding the queso. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Serve with crusty bread or warm flour tortillas for scooping.

Crumbled queso half fries into lacey, salty crisps that catch butter in the pan. This shelf is bare, so we make a staple-drawer dinner that leans into what we have, served with whatever greens you can scrounge or a simple salad on the side.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

You need a handful of crumbles queso half, 2 tablespoons butter, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 lime, a small bunch or handful greens for salad or a vegetable.

1. Set a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. When the foam subsides, scatter a handful of crumbled queso half across the pan in loose mounds, leaving space between them.
2. Let each mound sit until the bottom edges turn golden and lacy, about two minutes, then flip gently and cook the other side until crispy, another minute. Work in batches if needed. Season with salt and pepper as they come out.3 min
3. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the hot crisps as you plate them, or serve lime wedges alongside. Eat while they're still warm and crunchy, with greens or salad on the side.

Note Queso fresco works the same way if that's what you have. These keep in an airtight container for a day and can be warmed briefly in the oven, though they lose crispness. Serve with any raw or cooked greens and lime for brightness.