Mexican Pizza

My son will not let his older sisters kiss him. He will accept kisses from his Dad. He will let me kiss him. He will even reluctantly kiss me good bye in front of his friends at school. Noted, I did say reluctantly. When I made this Mexican pizza, his sister shared some of her pizza with him. He really liked it a lot. He still wouldn't kiss her. Don't worry. His sister's will kiss his cheek after he goes to sleep. Then they tell him the next day.

Mexican Pizza
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 (15 oz) can refried beans
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
8 (9 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup salsa
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup black olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat two pie pans with cooking spray and set aside.
3. In a skillet, brown the meat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
6. Add the 1/2 cup water and combine well. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Place a tortilla in the middle of the pie pan. Cover the tortilla with refried beans.
8. Spread 1/4 of the seasoned meat over the tortilla.
9. Top the seasoned meat with a little cheese.
10. Cover the cheese and seasoned meat with another tortilla.
11. Bake the Mexican pizza for 10 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and top the tortilla with your desired toppings: additional cheese, salsa, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. 
13. Bake the Mexican pizza for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Recipe adapted from Trader Joe's Recipes.

One year ago..........................I made Banana Cupcakes.

Did you already know............
-The Trader Joe stores began as Pronto Markets in 1958.
-In 1968, Pronto Markets changed their name to Trader Joe's.
-Trader Joe's are named after the founder Joe Coulombe.

Taco Seasoning

Do you prefer crunchy tacos or soft tacos? Growing up, we had tacos often. My parents always bought the crunchy shells. Since my husband does not like the crunchy shells, I normally serve soft tacos. The kids just love tacos and they don't care if their shells are crunchy or soft. The best thing about tacos is my oldest daughter will volunteer to make them. It is a food we do not order out but make at home often. (Pizza however is a different story.)

I use to buy the taco seasoning and use half. The packet seemed high in sodium. I have purchased the lower sodium packets and they taste fine. Then last year I saw a blog about making your own taco seasoning. I thought it was the coolest idea and have not purchased the packets again. I make up a batch of the homemade seasoning and store it in my spice cabinet. I prefer the taste and none of the kids have made any comment about noticing a difference. I guess tacos are tacos. It is also a great way to use your spices. I did change it a little since I prefer chili powder to cumin but adapt it to your taste.

Taco Seasoning
5 Tbsp. chili powder
3 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the spices together and store in an air tight container until ready to use.
2. When ready to use, brown the hamburger or chicken.
3. Add 3 Tbsp of taco seasoning with 1 cup of water.
4. Allow the meat to simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with soft or crunchy shells.

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats and Use Real Butter.

Did you already know...
-Taco Bell is named after the founder Glen Bell.
-In 1962, Mr. Bell opened the first Taco Bell in Downey, California.
-In 1978, Pepsi purchased Taco Bell.