sixty

Wow, sixty posts!  I was amazed when I got to thirty and am mighty dumbfounded by how long I've managed to keep blogging.  I know that sixty isn't exactly a milestone, but considering the fact that blogging is essentially a chore to me, I'm going to celebrate anyway.  Party, party!  Okay, celebration over; now, it's time to discuss something interesting and positive to come out of this blog.

I am the sort of person to mention something in passing, then forget all about it.  For example, I'll muse that I want to stop using coupons or that I want to save money on groceries.  Since I've been blogging, these random thoughts have become (possibly boring) post fodder and, in doing so, they have also become Official Thoughts rather than just random conversations with my husband and/or myself.  In writing a post, I have to actually sit down and think about, say, how much money I'm wasting on newspapers ($250 a year!).  It can probably go without saying that those realizations make me feel kind of guilty and wasteful, so I can't just do nothing.  This blog has opened my eyes (yeah, yeah, call me corny) and been the kick in the butt that I need to let go of my newspaper subscriptions, drop my grocery budget from $200 to $75 a week, and become a(n even) better homemaker with my husband's help*.

*that post will be coming in the next couple of weeks

Kay, recipe time!

Mexican Pizza

I was OUT of olives.  I swear the pizza's not as horrible as it looks.

 Crust :

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1/4 tsp sugar

3/4 cup warm water

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Toppings :

1/2 cup spicy taco sauce

1 tsp oregano

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1/3 cup sliced olives

1 cup mixed peppers and onions (frozen or fresh)

1 cup leftover taco beef/chicken/pork

Make crust : Mix yeast, sugar and water in a medium bowl; allow to stand until yeast is foamy.  Stir in flour and salt, then knead on a floured counter until dough forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes.  Cover the dough with a moist lint-free towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest about 20 minutes.  Roll the dough out into a large circle or rectangle and position on a pizza stone or on an upside down cookie sheet (seriously, it works).  Make sure the crust is thin or it won't be crunchy.

Preheat the oven to 500*.

Top crust : Spread taco sauce on top of pizza crust. Sprinkle with oregano, then almost all of the cheese.  Top with olives, peppers and onions, and meat (plus anything else that you like).  Top with the remaining cheese.  Bake about 15 minutes, until the crust is crispy and brown and the cheese is melted.  

Allow to cool on pan about five minutes, then remove to a wooden cutting board or peel before slicing.