Back in high school, my friends and I used to frequent RJ Gators a lot. It was a fun, sports bar like restaurant. You may have heard of it?

One of the best features about this restaurant was that you could pay to have a pie thrown in someone's face for their birthday. Yeah, we went there a lot in high school. LOL! :)

I don't think this restaurant is around anymore. But when D and I moved back to Florida, we were able to eat there a few times when we visited his grandparents (without any pies in the face!).

One entree that always brings back great memories was their Chicken Quesadilla with Black Bean Mango Salsa.

Oh my heavens!

I can't remember the exact detail of the dish, but I remember the salsa being on top of the quesadilla and then the salsa drizzled with sour cream (kinda like chocolate on a pastry).

I thought it was so fun and so yummy!

Because of that, I'm always recreating it every summer, or whenever I feel in the mood for it. :)

I still haven't bought the pastry bag that would make this dish even more exact to RJ gators. But every time I make it, I'm always reminded to go out and buy one ASAP! :)

Since I can only remember some of the details of how it was made at RJ Gators, I usually just put my own spin on it.

First, I made the salsa.

Pure beauty, right? OMG! Yeah!! :)

I know there's SO many ways to make this salsa, but for this dish, I went for simplicity; black beans, mango, cilantro and lime juice.

Then I sauteed up some leftover chicken thigh meat with onion, garlic and red, orange and yellow pepper.

Placed it in a hot tortilla.

Added cheese and spinach.

Flipped the tortilla for equal heating.

Chopped up some avocado.

Spooned out some sour cream.

Placed it on a plate. Added some salsa on top.

And then colorful BLISS exploded on my plate...big time!

OH my WOWness!

Gorgeous, right? OMG! Yeah!! :):)

The flavors rocked my world!

The colors were, as my coach, Michelle Ward says, AMAZEBALLS!

The sweetness from the mango...HEAVEN!!

The creaminess from the avocado and sour cream...DIVINE!!

It was the perfect summer dish ever!

And that's why I keep recreating it again and again and again.

But...maybe next time, I'll recreate the entire high school scene, except this time I'll eat it at my dining room table and then I'll say it's my birthday (well, I actually don't have to fib about this one b/c it'll be my bday in July) and then I'll let D pie me in the face! LOL! Uh, maybe! But I know he'd love to do that! Ha! :)

So if you're looking for some fun summer foodie flair, this IS it!

You'll love it! Promise!

Until next time...

{food IS colorful bliss}

Chicken Quesadilla with Black Bean Mango Salsa

Ingredients (Black Bean Mango Salsa)
1 can black beans (rinsed) or make your own from scratch!
1 mango (chopped)
1 handful of cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (freshly squeezed)

Directions (Black Bean Mango Salsa)
1. You'll want to have this prepared ahead of time so it will be cool and refreshing.
2. Rinse black beans. Place in bowl.
3. Peel and chop mango. Add to bowl.
4. Chop handful of cilantro. Add to bowl.
5. Squeeze lime into bowl.
6. Mix all together and then place in refrigerator to chill.

Ingredients (Quesadilla)
Tortillas of your choice
Chicken meat of your choice (I used dark) ~ for this dish I used 2 chicken thighs and chopped finely
1/2 of a red, orange, yellow pepper (chopped finely)
1/4 of an onion (chopped finely)
1 to 2 handfuls of spinach (chopped)
1 to 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 avocado (sliced)
1 to 2 tablespoons sour cream
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
dash of salt and pepper

Directions (Quesadilla)
1. Heat pot to medium heat. Add olive oil.
2. Add chicken (cook for 5 to 10 minutes). Then place on the side.
3. Add onion, peppers, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes or so.
4. Add chicken back to veggie mix.
5. Heat another skillet to medium heat for tortilla's.
6. Add a touch olive oil to skillet. Spread around so it covers entire skillet.
7. Once heated enough, place tortilla in skillet.
8. Add cheese to one side.
9. Add spinach on top of cheese.
10. Add chicken and veggie mixture on top of cheese.
11. Add some more spinach to that (if you'd like).
12. Add some more cheese on top.
13. Fold over the tortilla with spatula. Press down once folded.
14. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Flip. Cook other side for same amount of time.
15. Place onto your most lovely serving dish. Add black bean mango salsa to top. Add avocado and sour cream to the side, and then place at your lovely seat to be eaten.
16. Turn off all distractions, sit down by yourself or with your family, take a few deep breaths, say how much gratitude you have for your food, your family, your life and dig in, slowly and savor the deliciousness!