Mexican Pizzas!

This dinner idea is so simple, quick and easy that I feel almost silly posting it. But simple, quick and easy is the point so here goes! This recipe came about from a couple of different lines of thought. First, I needed something to use up leftover taco meat. Brian is not a big fan of leftovers so offering tacos two days in a row, or even for lunch the next day doesn't really appeal to him. But there is always enough leftover meat for a whole other meal, so I created Mexican Pizzas. Also, they are Brian's favorite menu item at Taco Bell, but lately he's on an anti-Taco Bell kick (who can blame him). So I tried to duplicate them and that is how these pizzas came about. Now, Mexican Pizza night ALWAYS follows taco night. And occasionally I will cook up the meat just for the pizzas. That is what I did last night and since I used giant tortillas (because that is what I had) I used up most of the meat. So no tacos this week, but I'll use the leftovers for my own lunch! If you are using leftover meat, this recipe takes 15 minutes or less to prepare, but is full of nutrition and yumminess so it's great for a weeknight. If you also have leftover taco shells laying around keep a lookout for what to do with them in a future post!

So, I made the taco meat last night and I used a homemade taco seasoning mix. Many of the store bought seasoning mixes come with extra additives and (gasp!) MSG so I try to avoid them. However, I have had a hard time duplicating the flavor. But I think what I mixed up last night comes pretty close.

Taco Seasoning:

2 TB Chili Powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp each:

salt

pepper

cumin

onion powder

garlic powder

sugar

I added worcestershire (about 1 TB), Louisiana hot sauce (about 1/2 TB) and chunky salsa (about 1/4 cup) to my 1 pound of ground beef as it was browning. Then I added most of the seasoning (all but about 1TB). Next I covered the meat with 1/2 cup water and let it simmer until cooked all the way through:

Next I filled my tortillas! First, put a layer of refried beans on the bottom tortilla. I didn't have refried so I just fork mashed some whole beans. Next, layer the taco meat. On top of that, add a bit of cheese (so it will stick to the top tortilla) and cover with top tortilla. Push down so it is nice and flat and everything sticks together. Put in 450 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. This step is so that the tortillas get nice and crisp. You'll need to watch carefully though so that you don't burn the edges.

Beans and Meat

Next, remove the pizzas and cover tops with salsa and/or hot sauce, and lots of cheese. Put into 350 degree oven for 5 more minutes. Once the cheese is melted, remove and add lettuce and tomatoes. I also add black olives if I have them. Serve with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, and/or jalepenos.

They turn out bright, colorful, satisfying and delicious!