It’s just after midnight. You’ve finished your calculus homework, and you deserve a reward, preferably one that would fill your aching stomach. The dining centers have been closed for several hours, and you haven’t got enough money to buy a bag of Top Ramen, much less a pizza or sandwich.

All you have are some tortillas and a little cheese, but you haven’t had a working microwave since your roommate cooked a bowl of Easy Mac for three hours instead of 3 minutes. What to do?

Well, why not get your money’s worth out of that iron that’s been collecting dust in your closet? Use this classic food-hack to enjoy top-notch Mexican food on a budget.

Easy Ironing-Board Quesadillas:

1 large (10” diameter) flour tortilla.

1 cup shredded cheese of your choice. Cheddar and queso blanco are best.

1 tsp. seasoning of your choice. 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper make for a nostril-clearing but delicious mixture.

Filling of your choice. Pre-cooked chicken pieces and fresh bell pepper slices work well.

A sheet of aluminum foil, approximately 12” by 12”.

Mix cheese and seasoning mixture in a bowl. Next, spread mixture onto tortilla. Add any fillings. Meanwhile, warm iron to ‘cotton’ setting, around 200°F.

Fold tortilla in half over filling, then fold aluminum foil over tortilla. Place on ironing-board.

Press warm iron onto the aluminum foil until tortilla is golden brown. Turn and repeat until cheese is melted. Enjoy both your snack and your newfound culinary expertise.