Tortilla Pizzas

Lately I have been on a “we must use everything in our refrigerator before it spoils” kick. An obsession like this can be both a good thing and a bad thing depending on how you look at it. On the plus side, using everything in the refrigerator keeps me creative. I am constantly thinking of new ideas for how to use tortillas, cheese, eggs, salsa, etc. (Oh, look…a breakfast burrito in the making already!) Also as a bonus, it saves money. On the down side, dinner can be slim-pickens or very repetitive. We might have bean burritos a couple days in a row just so we can use up that can of refried beans I opened the night before. (Sounds gross I know, but bean burritos are truly one of my life passions.)

This week, because Jim and I just came home from vacation, our refrigerator was pretty empty. However, still lurking about and still fresh was a package of tortillas and some mozzarella cheese. In our pantry I found a can of black olives and some pizza sauce. Are you thinking what I am thinking? Tortilla pizzas!

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home from work today to get some pepperoni. (Always buy Gallo. Don’t even get me started on imitation pepperoni and salami.) I also bought a blend of freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheese to add to the top of our pizzas. These cheeses really do make all the difference in the taste of the pizza and make it much more “authentical.” Walking out of the grocery store, I felt a sense of satisfaction and excitement at the simple dinner I was about to prepare made up mostly of left-over somethings in our refrigerator and pantry.

The pizzas are so simple to make, and really have endless possibilities. Let’s just say that mini tortilla pizza is one of our new quick dinner favorites!

Tortilla Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1 package of four tortillas
• Grated mozzarella cheese (I buy a cube and grate it myself, knowing that the pre-grated kind lasts for months…there is something wrong with that!)
• 1 can of Contadina Pizza Sauce (or another brand you really like).
• Freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese. You could use a blend of all three.
• Fresh or dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Garlic powder
• Toppings of your choice!

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet. I usually cook two on one. Cover the top of the tortilla with pizza sauce, leaving a quarter of an inch or so on the edges. Put your favorite toppings on top of the pizza sauce. Some of our favorites include pepperoni, black olives, Italian sausage, and tomatoes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Add Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese on top of the mozzarella. Sprinkle garlic powder, basil, and oregano on top.

• Place the pizzas in the oven to bake, but keep an eye on them. I don’t have a certain amount of time I always leave them, but it does end up being between 5 and 10 minutes. Watch for the cheese to be completely melted and the edges of the tortilla to get a little crisp.

• Cut with a pizza slicer and enjoy!