taco pizza*

Pinterest has taken over my life. Not really, but I do check it quite often - swooning over all of the deliciously fabulous foods that are "pinned" on the site. However, today I did more than just swoon. I made two different recipes that I found on Pinterest. I made some S'mores Cookie Bars, since I have this new found obsession with s'mores, and a Taco Corn Bread Casserole - which reminds me a lot of this Taco Pizza. Both recipes coming very soon, because they both turned out amazing!

This taco pizza has become a staple in my house. I made it for the first time probably a month ago, and since then we have had it 4 times. The best part:  it never gets old! And it is so versatile. You can make it with chicken, beef, pork, or with just the beans and cheese. Any which way is fabulous! However, please for the love of pete do NOT leave off the cilantro. That is my very favorite part! I could probably eat a cilantro salad for a meal in and of itself. Mmmm..cilantro is so amazing.

Now, I am lazy and have not tested out the pizza dough recipe that the Pioneer Woman has posted with the Taco Pizza recipe, but I am going to put it up anyway. I am sure it is absolutely to die for, since everything else the Pioneer Woman makes surely is! However, it works just fine with the pre-made pizza crusts they have at the store, or I have also used the Pillsbury pizza crust that they have in the little scary can things that you have to peel the paper off and then it pops open. I hate those things! If Landon is home I make him do it. Seriously, it's that bad.

Taco Pizza
from The Pioneer Woman

1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast 
1-½ cup Warm Water 
4 cups All-purpose Flour 
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 
⅓ cups Olive Oil 
1 can (14 Ounce) Black Beans 
1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning (prepared, Or Make Your Own) 
4 whole Corn Tortillas, Sliced Into Thin Strips 
½ cups Canola Oil, For Frying 
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar 
1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese 
1 head Green Leaf Lettuce, Sliced/shredded Thin 
2 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Diced 
½ cups Cilantro Leaves 
¼ cups Sour Cream 
3 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (more To Taste)

Make the pizza dough: Mix yeast with warm water and set aside for 8 to 10 minutes. Mix flour, salt, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. With speed on low, drizzle in yeast/water mixture. Allow to mix until totally combined. Cover bowl with a towel and set bowl in a warm, draft-free place. Allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Pour black beans into a saucepan. Add seasonings to taste and heat up beans over medium-low heat. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to desired texture. Continue cooking/heating beans over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer runny (should be the texture of refried beans. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. When hot enough to fry, drop in the tortilla strips in batches, frying quickly and removing from oil with a fork when crisp–about 30 to 45 seconds per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Place oven rack in the bottom position in the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Remove half the pizza dough from the bowl. Place remaining half in a large plastic bag and refrigerate, saving for another use. With hands, spread pizza dough on an oiled baking sheet, making sure it’s relatively thin.

Spread layer of refried beans all over pizza crust. Sprinkle mixed grated cheeses over the top. Place pan in the oven (in the bottom half of the oven) and bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Watch it to make sure crust doesn’t burn.

As you can see we used mozzarella this time, which works great, too!

Remove pizza from oven. Sprinkle on shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cilantro leaves.

Mix together sour cream and hot sauce, adding enough hot sauce to make the mixture pourable. With a spoon (or you can put it in a pastry bag) drizzle mixture over finished pizza.

Sprinkle with tortilla strips. Cut into squares and serve immediately with good quality salsa.

We make this deliciousness for the students, too, and they LOVE it!

-alyssa*