Meatless Mexican Pizza

I really don't like fast food. I dont eat fast hamburgers or struggle with french fry cravings, and even though I am a mom, I am not a huge fan of Chick-fil-A, but I do have one fast food weakness. Okay, I have two weaknesses, I love Sonic slushies, but I am not thinking about beverages at the moment, just food. Warm, crispy, cheesy food: the mexican pizza from Taco Bell to be exact. I get it without meat and add extra hot sauce and I love it. It is the one thing I could eat even when in the midst of horrible nausea and vomitting with both of my pregnancies. I would crave them. At times even to the point of having my loving husband drive me to Taco Bell so I could buy two. I ate one, had him pull into a parking lot for me to throw up, then I ate the second before we ever got to our destination. I know that is so gross, but pregnancy is weird and that is how much I love them.

I rarely give into the magnetic pull that I feel when driving by the place, but I think about it often. Today I was really feeling it, but knew I shouldn't. So, instead, I made it for dinner. I know I have done it in the past, but I have no idea when or how long ago. It was so easy and really, really good.

So here goes it, my version of a...

Meatless Mexican Pizza:

What I Used:

-corn tortillas

-refried beans (i love the trader joes fat free kind)

-chopped onion

-chopped green chiles

-1 diced tomato

-chopped cilantro

-bit of cumin

-non GMO canned corn

-sliced black olives

-shredded cheese

-sour cream

Preheat oven to 350degrees

Heat a bit of oil (I used non GMO canola oil, but I know grape seed is much better for you for high heats) in a skillet

Place a corn tortilla in the oil and let is sizzle for about 15 seconds, then flip it over and do the same on the other side. Take it out and let it drain the excess oil onto a paper towel on a plate. Do this until all the tortillas you are wanting to use are crispy and not dripping wet. I used 9 as I was making 4 2-layer pizzas for my husband and myself and a single layer one for our son.

Place bottom layer tortillas on a cookie sheet and top with a layer of beans, onions, and cumin.

Put second layer tortilla on top and add corn, olives, more onion, green chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese.

Stick it in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until melty and smelling amazing.

I added some more fresh tomato and cilantro and some sour cream. And Enjoy!

If I had thought about it I also would have smashed up an avocado and added some lime juice to the mix, but it was still REALLY good and totally hit the spot. Plus, this way it was real food I was eating and not nearly as questionable. As with most recipes, the options are endless for toppings and ways to do it.

What do you like to put on a Mexican Pizza?

Veggie Pot Pie

Someday I plan to have this blog be about something in my life other than just food. However, today is not that day. Every day for the past week I have been planning on making this warm comfort food and just never did it. A friend from back home flew all the way from California to take my maternity photos (!) and I really wanted to make this for her. She is a vegetarian and for some reason I have always had a hard time finding chicken-less pot pies so I thought it would be nice. But ya, it never happened. I finally got around to making it tonight and it was perfect. Especially with the cold windy evening that it is and the predictions of snow.

I am not opposed to chicken pot pies, in fact, I rather like them. However, we rarely buy meat as we are picky and only get the fancy grass fed organic kind, which doesnt fit into our student budget very often. And not being crazy about meat anyways, it works out easily for us.

This pot pie can easily be made with chicken broth instead of the vegetable broth, but then it wouldn't be suitable for most vegetarians (obviously).

Veggie Pot Pie

2 carrots

2 sticks of celery

2 russet potatoes

1/3 cup butter

garlic

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

sage

1 3/4 cups vegetable broth

2/3 cup milk

• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Take your beautiful veggies, wash them, and chop them up! (i have extra ones in the pic...)

Once they're all chopped, put them in a med sized pot and cover with water. Boil for about 15 minutes. Drain and set them aside. Here is where I like to add about a cup of frozen peas. I don't like to overcook them and adding them now will thaw them within minutes amidst the hot vegetables.

Meanwhile, melt 1/3 cup butter in a pan and add garlic. Chopped, minced, whatever you like. Normally I would throw in half an onion and soften it in this buttery garlic glory, but I didn't have one. So I added more garlic.

Once you are satisfied with your butter meltiness, add the salt, pepper, flour, and milk. I also usually do celery seed here, but since I am out of that, too I threw in some sage. I have no idea how much. Then mix in the vegetable broth (not pictured).

Mix it all really well over medium heat until it turns into a smooth gravy. You can leave it like this or be like me and add, you guessed it, more garlic. And maybe some seasoned salt. And more sage. And seriously, I could eat this by the spoonful. This makes me think I am in the right place living in the south...

In a deep pie dish lay down your pie crust. Layer half the veggie mixture, half of the gravy, other half of veggies, then gravy. Should I be calling it sauce? Lastly, top it off with the second pie crust and cut little slits to let the heat escape while it bakes.

30 minutes later it should be browned and look something like this.

Dig in! I assure you, it does not lack in flavor with the vegetable broth! Especially with the garlic and sage or whatever other seasonings you like to add. My husband, 4 year old, and myself ate half of it for dinner and it makes great leftovers.