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Kids & Family

It's Taco Night with a Twist!

Switching things up a little and adding an element of surprise, like serving tacos as a pizza, helps keep the kids interested in and excited for dinner!

I can’t say that I speak for everyone, but with the summer days starting to shorten, and the mornings becoming a little cooler, I’m starting to crave the fall. 

It’s not that I wish summer would end, but I’m looking forward to getting back into a regular routine again.  I’m also excited to fire up the oven and bake for a few hours on the weekends and perhaps test out some new soup or stew recipes this fall.  I can’t remember the last time I cooked a roast beef dinner!  Summertime can be too hot for those types of meals.

Until we all settle down into our routines (it’ll take some time to get used to our new schedules), I’ve got to have a fun, kid-friendlygo-to dinner for those “starving” kids.  Once they come through the door after school, they’ll head straight for the fridge or snack cabinet.  I’ll try to hold them off with something small so they don’t ruin dinner.   

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If I succeed, I know they’ll be happy that they’ve saved room for this taco pizza.  With the premade pizza crusts, you really can put this meal together in very little time. You can make the ground beef ahead of time, too.  Heck, you can even buy a bag of shredded lettuce if you’re tight on time!

Ingredients

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  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1 envelope taco seasoning

  • 1 cup water

  • 2 prebaked 12-inch pizza crusts

  • 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans

  • 3/4 cup salsa

  • 2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
          (I skipped this part, but add it if you
         like!)

  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar
         cheese
     ( I used a Mexican blend)

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped, optional

  • 1 cup shredded lettuce, optional

  • Directions


  • In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes; set aside.

  • Place crusts on ungreased pizza pans or baking sheets. Combine beans and salsa; spread over crusts. Top with beef mixture, chips and cheese.

  • Bake at 350° for 13-16 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomatoes and lettuce if desired. Yield: 2 pizzas (6-8 servings each).

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