Mexican Pizza and Top 10 for Food Bloggers

After watching the food blogs the last few weeks apparently there is some sort of food blogger rule that says between the last week of December and by mid-January a blogger must post a top 10 list. Some post the best recipes of the year, some the best photos and some promise what they will do during the next year. My list is slightly different approach. The Top Ten Foodie Trends I Don't Understand.

Top Ten Foodie Trends I Don't Understand
9. Why does it have to be 10 things?
8. Highly specialized cooking gadgets. There is a new popsicle maker on the market it makes 2 popsicles at a time and sells for $50. Have you never heard of dixie cup, recycled popsicle stick and a freezer? Cost .03 cents. Maybe I have watched to much Alton Brown and believe his slogan Death to Uni-taskers.
7. Bacon - I like bacon. I have 2 bacon t-shirts. But this bacon thing has gone to far. Bacon Mints, Bacon toothpaste, bacon soap, and the thing that pushed me over the edge bacon nativity scene. Bacon has officially jumped the shark.
6. Cupcakes - when they started bacon cupcakes, there are 1,140,000 images in the Google search, cupcakes jumped the shark.
5. Grains - This years grain of the year is quinoa. I think the reason it is so popular is because no 2 people pronounce it the same way, so every time you hear the name it sounds new and run out and buy it. Now everybody has 12 boxes of quinoa and they have to cook with it. Yes I understand grains are good for you, but why all of these exotic 3 times more expensive than oat, barley and corn grains. Oh wait I think I just answered my own question.
4.  Gluten Free - I know some people actually have a medical problem with gluten and they are exempt from my rant. I have seen foods that have never had gluten advertised as gluten free, while this may be true the fact that they are advertising it implies that other brands contain it. Gluten is generally found in processed foods and grains. Gluten has become the new "fat" we must get rid of it in all food.
3. Sliders - Smaller burgers are good right? Except they are small so people eat twice as many and end up eating more fat and calories than if they would have eaten the full size burger.
2. Making things in a jar - why do we want to make it harder to get things out of the container. Tall and skinny usually means awkward and hard to get at.
1. Pops/balls - I don't like to bake so maybe I am missing the idea of why these are good. But why would you make a cake then squish it into a ball and then put it on a stick? If some one would hand you a piece of cake that is all squished up you wouldn't eat it.

Mexican Pizza
2 tortillas
1/2 can refried beans
1 cup Mexican Chicken

Salsa, sour cream, black olives, green onions, red onion, tomato, jalapeño, queso fresco or any other favorite topping to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the tortillas in the oven and heat them until they start to bubble. remove them and they will finish crisping as they sit. While the tortillas are crisping heat the beans and chicken. Spread some beans over the tortilla, then put down a layer of the chicken. Top that with some cheese. Put back in the oven until the the cheese melts. remove and top with the other ingredients.

Mexican Salad

I love it when I get to go to the Farmers Market, it always inspires me to make something great for dinner.   There are several parts to this recipe but most are easy and can be made in a couple of minutes so don't panic. 

Mexican Salad

Chicken

1 batch of Mexican Chicken, this if from my other blog

Salad

1 tortilla, per person

1 cup lettuce, torn into bite size pieces per person

1 oz Queso Fresco per person

Heat a frying pan over high heat. After the pan gets hot throw the tortilla in it. When the starts to bubble and get some color on it flip it over and cook until other side starts to brown. Remove and do the same to the remaining tortillas.

Salsa

2 Tomatoes, chopped into small pieces (I used 1 heirloom and 1 yellow)

1/2 to 1 jalapeno, chopped into very small pieces

1 tbs red onion, chopped into small pieces

1 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

Mix all of the ingredients together and let it sit for a few minutes for flavors to mingle. You can use store bought or your own recipe if you want. I do recommend fresh when tomatoes and peppers are in season.

Guacamole

2 small avocados, peeled, sliced into pieces

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbs red onion, finely chopped

10 cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2

1 tbs Cilantro, finely chopped

As soon as the avocados are cut and peeled squeeze the lime juice on them, to prevent them from oxidizing. Mash the avocados with a potato maser. Fold in the remaining ingredients. 

To assemble put tortilla on plate top with the lettuce. Then add the chicken top with guacamole and salsa. Sprinkle with the Queso Fresco.