Avocado-Mango Shrimp Quesadillas

Do you have some leftover Avocado Mango Salsa from Mondays post? I didn't think so. That salsa is sooooo good! But in case you do have some of that wonderful salsa hanging around your fridge and want to use it up before the avocados start turning brown (yucky), use it to make this seriously awesome quesadilla!

By the way, do you have the Picky Palate cookbook? You should! Jenny is one of my favorite bloggers and her cookbook is on my top 10 favorites list. Why do I mention this? Because she changed the way I make quesadillas forever! Dusty use to think I was so weird because I would just sprinkle some shredded cheese between 2 tortillas, microwave it and call it good. Nobody showed me any different, how was I suppose to know!?!?! Man, I was weird!

Jenny's cookbook introduced me to the concept of spreading cream cheese on the tortilla and then pan frying it with butter so the tortilla is golden and crisp. Let me tell you what, cream cheese with your quesadilla is life changing! It adds another dimension of cheesy creaminess. It's the only way I'll make my quesadillas for the rest of my life.

Quesadillas have become a lunch staple in our home ever since we moved to Chester and Dusty started his job. They are quick, easy, cheap, versatile and oh so delicious. You can put everything but the kitchen sink into a quesadilla and it will be good. So when I had a bit of leftover Avocado Mango Salsa, I thought why not!  and combined it with some cooked shrimp, cheddar cheese and of course cream cheese! It turned out to be a magical combination and I can't wait for your to try it!

Avocado-Mango Shrimp Quesdillas
{Makes 2 Quesadillas}

-8 Jumbo-Sized Shrimp
-1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
-1/8 tsp Chile Powder
-1/8 tsp Salt
-Dash of Pepper

-2 Burrito-Sized Flour Tortillas

-2 tbsp softened Cream Cheese

-1/2 cup Avocado Mango Salsa

-1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
-1 tbsp Butter
-Sour Cream & Avocado Mango Salsa (for serving)

Heat the 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Season the shrimp with chile powder, salt and pepper and then add it to the pan. Cook and stir until the shrimp becomes cooked through and pink. Remove from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Spread half of each tortilla with 1 tbsp softened cream cheese. Top with 1/4 cup Avocado Mango Salsa on each tortilla. Divide the shrimp in half between the two tortillas and top them over the salsa. Sprinkle the tortillas with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Fold in half.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1/2 tbsp of butter in the skillet. Place the quesadilla in the skillet and cook until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese has melted. This should be 2-4 minutes per side. Repeat with the second quesadilla. Using a pizza cutter, cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Top with a dollop of sour cream followed by some more Avocado Mango Salsa. Enjoy!

*For a vegetarian style quesadilla, just omit the whole shrimp thing. It will still be delicious!*

Recipe Inspired By: Jenny Flake of Picky Palate
*All opinions of the Picky Palate cookbook are my own...I love this book!*