Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VG
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 3 as a main course 6-8 as an appetizer
Prep Time: 0-5 min.
Cook Time: 20-25 min.
Difficulty: 1

At my first high school I entered a lunch room that resembled an all you can eat buffet more than it did a cafeteria for school. There were at least 10 lunch ladies cooking this or that. There were those strange boiled and floating hot dogs, buttermilk biscuits the size of a lumber jacks ham fist, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, hamburgers, lasagna, fruit salad and other items that I was not really sure what they were but looked to be something that could have been cat meat mixed with a side of kale and liverwurst strawberry soup. I never touched the stuff! Then there was the Mexican Pizza. I have never seen anything like it before, a taco and a pizzas divine child. Two of my favorite foods made into one beautiful lunch item! I ordered one along with a buttermilk biscuit, banana and doughnut holes. As I slid my tray up to the check out counter I thought, "I did not know if the $2.50 my parents had given me would be enough. I thought I would put back everything but beg to have to Mexican Pizza. I would do dishes after school. The checker rang everything up and said, "Dalla Seventy-five." I flashed a grin, paid and quickly found a table with two of my new acquaintances. One said, "What is that?" I replied, "a Mexican Pizza." I took a bit and finished with a mumbled, "It is so damn good!" I finished it and for the next 6 months I ate one almost daily. I had totally forgot about Mexican Pizzas until sometime last week I saw an article on MSN about Mexican Pizzas. I was hit with a rush of nostalgia, I could not remember how they had been made so I just started scratching down ideas for Mexican Pizzas! They tasted close to what I remembered and we both enjoyed my trip down memory lane!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 lb Don Juan New York style Beef Chorizo
1/3 cup yellow onion (chopped)
1/2 of a large green bell pepper (chopped)
1 tsp jalapeno (minced, optional)
1/3-1/2 cup chipotle cheddar (shredded)
1/3-1/2 cup white cheddar (shredded)
3 tsp Parmesan Reggiano (freshly grated)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
3 8-10 inch flour tortillas (we use partially uncooked tortillas for a fresher flavor)
3 tbsp red Chile enchilada sauce (or your favorite salsa)

In a 10 inch skillet using a wooden spoon mix together meats, seasonings, onion and bell pepper. Turn heat to medium high and cook for 10 minutes (or until meat is browned,) stirring often. Once browned drain excess oil and sit to side.

Mix cheddar cheese together in a small bowl

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

On a large baking sheet covered with aluminum foil lay out 3 tortillas and spread 1 tbsp of sauce over each one (using a spoon works great.) Spread 1/2 of the cheddar cheese mixture evenly over each tortilla. Now spread 1/3 of the meat onto each tortilla. Sprinkle the other half of the cheese over each tortilla and then sprinkle 1 tsp of Parmesan reggiano over each Mexican Pizza.

Place Baking sheet with Mexican pizzas on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until tortillas are crisp. Do not worry if the tortillas bubble up, once they cool they bubbles will fall. Remove from oven and serve warm. You can optionally top with more salsa or sour cream but we prefer not to. Enjoy!