"Mexican Pizza"

As you know, I don't love to cook by any means, I cook because I love my husband, and the other people I cook for. But I will share this recipe with you, because it is one of the few things that I kind of enjoy making.

So, here you go.

In the early 90's Seven Layer Dips were huge.  It was like the cool thing to have at your grunge rager or something.  One day, my sister came home from spanish class with this recipe for what was called "Mexican Pizza".  

This whole dish is an insult to my families' culture really, and I'm pretty sure my great grandmother would roll over in her grave if she heard me call this dish Mexican food.

Also my mother claims that Mexican Pizza is actually more like a tostada with no lettuce, and that this concoction is actually a form of Baked Seven Layer Dip...so I will remind you that I didn't name it, I just like to make it...and eat it.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

A couple cans of Refried Beans

A pound of Ground Beef

Some Minced Dried Onions (a tablespoon is good)

About a cup of Salsa (in your desired level of hotness)

Like a cup and a half of Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or shredded "Mexican Four Cheese Blend", yes I know it's not very Mexican to eat a four cheese blend.)

A cup or so of Sour Cream

And whatever else you think would be good on top of that.  Just make sure the layers add up to seven or the dip will self destruct.

The Rookie likes olives, and guacamole, and I like corn.  But whatever you add, keep the sour cream and guac and whatever else that shouldn't get baked, to the side until after the rest is baked.

Before it's baked

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef with the onions and drain the extra grease.

2. Mix the refried beans with the ground beef and press it into the bottom of a 13x9" Pan.

3. This is where you add the corn or olives or whatever else you want to add that is bake-able.  Pour it on and spread it out forming a thin layer of each ingredient.

4. Pour on the salsa and spread it to the edges.

5. Pour on the cheese and spread it around.

6. Bake the whole thing at about 350 for 20-30 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.

7. Let it cool a little (a little, not a lot) and then spread on the sour cream, and then the guac if you like.

8. This is a serious dip so eat it with strong chips. I like Mission brand, Tortilla Rounds for this.

After it's baked

Anyway this dip concoction had become a staple in my family, and when I was in High School I made it once for my boyfriend and his little brother...no big deal.  Except a few years after the boyfriend and I split, he told me that after we broke up his brother would always tell him to invite me over because he knew I would make them good food.  

Could you imagine that booty call?

"Hey Baby, I miss you....and I'm really... really...

hungry...

Do you want to come over and make me some of that   "

Uh no!

He was wise never to try that one.  Keep in mind that this is the only thing that I ever cooked for them, and it's not even authentic Mexican food...

...and they were actually mexican.  (Well half anyway)  So I know they had eaten way better food than this, actual authentic Mexican food.

But whatever, we had had a pretty messy breakup.  So it made me really happy to hear that during the time my little teenage heart was broken, he had to be constantly reminded of how awesome I was, by his hungry little brother.

Moral of the story:

The key to being the one That Got Away, is nothing more than a seven layer dip.