Mango-Brie Quesadillas + Creamy Lime Sauce: Cooking With Courtney

From Feed the Soul Blog:

You might not be surprised to hear that people in the real world know me as the one who cooks (and eats) a lot. I am often asked what I like to make most, and “anything” is not really a satisfying answer to most people. They press me. “What’s a recipe that you would serve a guest?”

The answer is always an easy one: Mango and brie cheese quesadillas flecked with jalapeños and fresh cilantro leaves, served with a dollop of cooling sour cream-lime dipping sauce to balance out the heat. It’s a creamy, sweet, spicy, comforting, intriguing quesadilla recipe that’s ready in minutes, can double as an appetizer or entree, and has never failed me over the years.

Watch my cheesy (pun intended) video tutorial on Instagram to see how easy these are to make.

I suspect it’s so well-liked because it’s interesting, unique and customizable. I mean, French cheese in a quesadilla? Say whaaaat?

You can leave out the jalapeños for spice-sensitive diners and have people make their own quesadillas so they get the perfect balance of ingredients. You could even add chicken or shrimp if vegetarian meals aren’t your thing. The tangy, zesty dipping sauce takes these quesadillas to the next level.

Skip to the full recipe.

Honestly, I could drone on and on about how this quesadilla recipe is incredibly easy, complex, well-balanced, summery, comforting yet light, luxurious yet casual and approachable, and just fun to make. I mean, quesadillas are just fun, it’s not up for debate.

But I would be remiss if I were not to acknowledge that this quesadilla recipe is one of those cherished few that holds a special place in my heart.

I stumbled upon this recipe from Bob Blumer years ago as a baby foodie scouring the Food Network website, probably praying that my dial-up internet didn’t fail and the family Compaq didn’t overheat and crash. I made these for the first time with my sous chef — my dad, president and CEO of my fan club — who was probably thrilled to see his eldest take her nose out of a book and embrace a hobby that did not involve a couch.

I’ve carried this recipe with me throughout the years — on bright summery days and stormy days when you feel like drowning your seasonal depression in cheese. As a broke post-grad I pinched pennies to save up for a palm-sized wheel of brie cheese. I turned to this recipe when I lived thousands of miles away from my family, across an ocean, and needed a taste of home. It’s been a meal to mark celebrations and days less worthy of celebrating.

Anyway, if you’ve obliged me and made it this far into my personal anecdote:

1. You get a gold star
2. I hope you’ll serve it at your family’s table soon, and maybe make some special memories of your own.

Get the complete recipe, including ingredients, instructions, tips and more photos, at feedthesoulblog.com.

Read more Cooking with Courtney columns and submissions.

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Cooking with Courtney is a weekly series featuring recipes by Patch Editor Courtney Teague. She also features reader recipe submissions in her Reader Recipe of the Week series.

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