Mexican Pizza – Fire Day Friday

I don’t eat much fast food but I do have a few “guilty favorites”, most of them from my teenage years.  Way back in the 1980’s my buddies and I would hit Taco Bell on Third Street in Jax Beach after surfing all day and the Mexican Pizza was one of my favorites.  
I had the craving for one last week and bought one at lunch.  Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, because that thing was depressing.  Soggy, sauce all poured off the side, and a mess.  Plus, they don’t make them with green onion or black olives anymore.  
I went home that night and made my own version.  MUCH better!  Craving Satisfied.
So I didn’t use a grill, how is this “Fire Day Friday”?  It uses a fiery enchilada sauce that uses Rotel’s new (new to me) tomato & chile sauce.  Not Rotel tomatoes, just sauce.  I stumbled on it at the store and like it for the base of sauces like this. 
Anyway, here is how you can make your own Mexican Pizzas. 
NOT Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza
Serves:  8 
Instructions
  • 1.25 lb ground sirloin
  • 1 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 2 Tbsp onion, finely diced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 can refried beans
  • 2 cups colby jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 4 oz sliced black olives
  • 8 corn tostadas* 

For the Quick Rotel Enchilada Sauce

  • 8 oz can Rotel Tomato & Chile Sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 clove garlic, finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground chipotle
Instructions
  1. Mix the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat.  Stir occasionally.
  2. Cook the taco meat according to directions EXCEPT – after browning and draining the ground beef, quickly saute the onion and garlic before add the beef back to the pan.  Resume package directions.
  3. Heat the refried beans over medium low heat.
  4. Preheat oven to 450f.
  5. Place 4 corn tostadas on a cookie sheet.  Top each with 2-3 Tbsp of beans and 2-3 Tbsp of the cooked beef.  Top each with another tostada, 2-3 Tbsp of the enchilada sauce, and cover with shredded cheese. 
  6. Place in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese, about 1-2 minutes.
  7. Top with tomatoes, green onion, and black olives.  Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Taco Bell uses flour tortillas but we like the crunch from the corn tortillas.  

3 Comments

Comments are closed.