Taco Pizza! (And my version of Border Patrol)
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Today I am bringing you a super quick, awfully easy, and very filling recipe that I just LOVE and REALLY want you to try because I think you’ll love it also!
However, posting a TexMex recipe wasn’t what got me thinking about border patrol, banana pudding did.
This week I discovered that the entire staff at my nail salon had NEVER TASTED HOMEMADE BANANA PUDDING, despite having lived in Alabama for years! Now while I let y’all recover from that collective gasp of horror, let me comfort you by saying that I righted that horrendous wrong the very next day. I took them a big old mixing bowl filled with banana pudding and they served it as the main course for their lunch. I was s’proud!.
This got me to thinking though, about all of the people who move to the south and don’t have an opportunity to partake of what the south is really about! Enter my version of Border Patrol. You see, I got a plan!
If I’m ever elected President, here’s what we’re gonna do:
- Set up a border along the whole of the Mason Dixon line and in all major Southern Airports.
- Have border patrol officers, commonly known as “Granny” stationed along the length of the line and working alongside TSA in the airports to identify anyone entering the south who is not “from ’round here”.
- Once said folks are identified, they are immediately pulled out of the line and taken outside to a pavilion lined with picnic tables loaded down with what we think of as “reunion food”. There will be:
Ham, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, three different kinds of deviled eggs (filling piped in egg, filling spooned in egg, and ones topped with paprika!), homemade rolls from Granny, Mama So-and-So, and Auntie Beatrice, green beans, greens, fried okra, sweet potato casserole, fresh fried corn, cornbread, steak and gravy, biscuits with fresh apple butter and preserves, big old pot of pintos, chopped onion (this counts as a side dish!), coconut cake, chocolate pound cake, mandarin orange cake, yellow cake with hard chocolate icing, HOMEMADE BANANA PUDDING, and at LEAST ten different varieties of congealed salads.
Beverages will be sweet tea served from large pickle jars and lemonade served from a barrel and stirred with a stick.
Visitors will then be invited to “fix their plates” where a sweet white haired lady will follow behind them as they do so proclaiming “Git ya some of that, too. You ain’t eatin’ enough! Here, try you some of this. Yer too skinny. ”
They will then sit down with “the folks” who will tell them all about the real depression, how hot cotton picking season is, and why kids these days don’t know how good they got it.
After being encouraged to go back for seconds and thirds, they will be handed several plates covered in foil to take with them in case they get hungry later and an official welcome package containing:
- 1 Case of moon pies
- 1 Gallon of Milo’s tea
- Six glass bottles of of RC Cola
~sighs~
I think I could make the world a better place, I really do.
Now how about some Taco Pizza? I love this stuff and so does my family, but especially me. So if I ever come visit you, just have one of these puppies sitting on the counter and I’ll sit down happily and be quiet for at least five minutes. Alright, three.
Something important to note about Taco Pizza, it is VERY filling. If your family normally eats two regular pizzas, you’ll be doing good to eat one of these. Take me seriously here. It is VERY filling! (This is a good thing!)
You’ll need: Refried beans, taco seasoning, ground beef (I use about a cup and a half), cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, salsa, and prepared pizza crust.
You can, of course, use your favorite homemade or store bought crust. I like this particular kind.
If you live in my town, don’t go to Wal Mart, Publix, or Hometown Grocery looking for these. Head right to Piggly Wiggly. I know this because I visited all of the above in that order – with a whiney, nap deprived four year old in tow. I know you think you saw them at Publix but you didn’t. The ones at Publix aren’t the deep dish ones like I like. Trust me, only at Piggly Wiggly. They are in the refrigerated section kinda near the biscuits and such. Besides, we like Piggly Wiggly. The folks in their pharmacy are always so nice and Katy enjoys conning them out of extra suckers. Oh, thats a lollipop for those of you who might not know.
If you make a homemade crust or use any other kind, it needs to be cooked before you add the pizza filling and such to it. So go ahead and cook it now. 
Aren’t I full of helpful advice today?
Place your ground beef and refried beans in a large skillet. My ground beef is already cooked, drained, and sorted in little plastic baggies in my zer so this is a cinch to put together.
That makes me sound organized, I know. In reality, let me assure you that I am simply lazy and don’t like to cook ground beef and clean up the mess every time I turn around to make a meal.
Add your salsa
Add taco seasoning.
Stir and cook over medium heat until heated through.
Spread onto pizza crust.
This is a deep dish one. I love these.
Thank you, Piggly Wiggly, for being the only people in my entire town to still carry them!!
MUWAH! MUWAH!!
Top with crushed tortilla chips. I usually get a bag of these (my kids love them) and let the kids eat on them a day or two before I make this pizza, then there are tons of crushed ones at the bottom of the bag. hehe.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and crust is browned.
Top with your favorite toppings! For me that is lettuce, fresh tomatoes and sour cream.
Okay, I don’t really eat raw tomatoes but it looked good in the pic so I did that for y’all because I love you so much
HELLO SUPPER!!!!
Taco Pizza
- 1 can refried beans
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 C browned ground beef, drained well
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- taco chips
- 3/4 C salsa
- 1 prepared pizza crust (preferably deep dish)
In skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, taco seasoning, refried beans, and salsa. Stir until heated through. Spread into pizza crust. Top with crunched taco chips. Top with a good bit of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and crust is browned. Remove from oven
Top with favorite taco toppings!
If you’re new to Southern Plate, please visit my Frequently Asked Questions page to learn a little more about SP!
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I’m I the first one today???? Wow! My kids also love Taco Pizza. Christy first made it for my family during her brief stay in Georgia. The kids love it and I love it because I make up the second one and freeze it. It makes for a quick supper when we are heading out the door for some sort of Scout function.
Yummy!
Tina…how do you cook it from frozen? I would LOVE to start stockpiling my freezer with premade meals but I am just at a loss sometimes on how to cook them again.
Thanks!
hehe! ~Hugs Angela~
What we usually do is place the frozen pizza in a cold oven and then heat it to the temp. The pizza thaws as the oven heats up and is then cooked in a jiff!
I am planning a series on freezer cooking, have been saying I was going to do that one for ages! I just gotta get time to do it.
I’ll try to nail myself down a bit this weekend and get working on it at least!
Gratefully,
christy
P.S. Y’all sure are good for my heart!
BTW, my sis in law up there is known as the Queen of Cuisine in her own right, too!
hehe
I also wanted to add that I am J-E-A-L-O-U-S that Christy cooks for you and your family. Lend her out sometimes, ok? =)
Christy,
I love you idea of Border Patrol! What a great idea.
Girl, you aint right!!! But, I love your Border Patrol ideas. I work with a bunch of D _ _ _ Yankess and they don’t have a clue!
Oooh I make something similar. Only we use cornbread for the crust! Yummo! It’s one of the hubby’s favorite “quick” meals. He always tells me that he can’t get enough of it. Y’all enjoy it!
this looks divine!!! gonna try it tonite! thanks!!!
I was browsing through the Southern Plate cookbook while my husband drove on a recent road trip to my in-laws when I came across this recipe. My husband loves all things Mexican. On the way back home we stopped at the store and bought the ingredients, and I’m telling you, this was a huge hit in our house. Because it made two pizzas, we had taco pizza three nights in a row, and we were HAPPY! Good stuff!
You sound just like me! Driving down the road looking through cookbooks!!
I am honored that you browsed through mine!!!!
hehe, we did that same thing with sloppy joe casserole once only We liked it so much we just kept making it night after night!
Hey Christy!
I just discovered Southern Plate and am loving it all! I am from GA and love all the southern dishes. You make it all so simple. I can’t wait to try this one!
WELCOME TO SOUTHERN PLATE!!!!!
It so wonderful to have you here!!! You just sit right down and dig in, we’ll keep your tea glass full!!
Gratefully,
Christy
*Raises hand* I’m not from ’round here, which way to the pavilion? I’m hungry, lol!
~is still laughing from reading this~
I LOVED this comment! lol
~still laughing….~
MY GOD, my mouth is watering, I love pizza, and this one I can do with no problem, its almost similar to my Mexican Lasagna that I make with tortillas, ground turkey, black beans, corn, and taco sauce. Sorry Ihavent posted in awhile, we have the Houston Rodeo goin on and its been BUSY!!!
ROBERT! I was worried about you. I actually thought of you the other day and wondered if you were doing alright because it seemed like I hadn’t seen you around in a while.
Now my regulars gotta keep the comments a comin’ and not make Mama worry, you hear me?
~grins~
Houston Rodeo huh? Well, good excuse I suppose. Hope you’re doing me proud and getting some decent BBQ in!
This taco pizza looks delish!
… and LOL at the Milo’s tea! I just moved back to Alabama after living in Kentucky for 10 years, and it’s so awesome to be able to get my Milo’s tea fix anytime I need it.
oh my gosh yes!!!!
Milos is what we run on, I swear!!!!
I LOVE the Splenda Milos!
I love your plan. I strongly believe that all conflicts could be resolved with good food =]
Wow that looks great!!! I’ve started making all our pizza dough from scratch cause it’s not all that hard and I enjoy it cause it’s like grown up play dough.
Love your border patrol idea! I’m serve!! Your pizza looks delicus! I may try it this week-end when grand-daughters are here!
Girl… you got my mouth waterin for some “reunion food”!!!! Never had HOMEMADE BANANA PUDDING??? Bless their little hearts…So glad to hear you showed them the way to that fluffy banana goodness. I’m sittin here right now drinkin my tea, in my mason jar…why buy fancy glasses when you can drink out of a wide mouth mason jar??
I think I’m gonna have to go order your cookbook now….
Good Gosh Amighty…honey hush! I’m so hungry from reading your post that I’m fixin’ ta fry me up some porkchops and split open a tamater!
And at my mama and daddy’s house we had rice and gravy EVERY Sunday. And…Egg Custards! I sure do miss setting around mama’s table!
And please tell me that I’m not the only 51 year old left who still loves fatback!
Honey baby, I don’t know about fifty one year olds but This ~muffled sound~ year old LOVES ME SOME FATBACK!!!!!!
I think I love your stories just as much as your recipes.
May have to give this a try one of these days. I’m into homemade pizzas lately.
I really think you should try Publix sweet tea it’s pretty darn good. When I gave up smoking I also gave up Diet Coke then took up some sweet tea I was at Publix buying a gallon every day. I have since given up the sweet tea. I can’t just do a little bit it has to be a lot. I love mexican and everybody else in this house loves a good pizza. Sounds like a plan.
I like the way you think Christy !!! As an actual Border Patrol Agent currently stationed in northern Minnesota, let me be among the first to sign up for YOUR version of the Border Patrol.
WOW!!!
Whowouldathunk that a real, honest to goodness border patrol agent would read this!!!
How cool is that!!!!!???
Now y’all know we got runners to keep bringing plates to ya if’n ya can’t make it to the pavilion on accounta your jobs and all!
I’m a cop’s daughter, you can count on me to hook you right up!
Loved your border patrol; can US citizens just show up for the food? Especially us dam’ Yankees? Is banana pudding the same thing as what my ex-b/f’s mother called “nanner puddin’”?
Hugs
Looks great and just think if you used chorizo insread of ground beef or maybe half and half.
IMANEVER!! I wouldn’t have thought you could live in Alabama for more than a month without someone crammin’ nanner puddin’ in your mouth!!
I love your Border Patrol idea! I honestly believe if the poor people who never had good Southern reunion food just ate it one time their lives would be changed!
I recently told my child’s friends I was fixin frito pie for supper. I heard them snicker. Fixin? Frito Pie? Supper? These poor kids in the NE corner of our country! LOL
Once again you have made me hungry for banana pudding…my family loves you because I make it just about every time you mention it.
You know, life is so very good to us. Sometimes,when we least expect it and when we most need it, something happens that causes us to toss back our heads and laugh out loud.
Your comment did that to me just now and I am so very grateful!
This smile will last til Sunday!!
And now a little something for your family:
Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding! Banana pudding!
I only wish we lived closer so I could swipe some, too!!!!
You rock, Nan.
Thank you for lifting me up and making me laugh!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
Ah…Milo’s tea is the best. We always have at least two gallons in the fridge! I’m actually going to eat there for lunch tomorrow. You can’t beat Milos!
Gonna head to bed as I’m falling asleep at my keyboard here! I’ll be back tomorrow and respond to more of you WONDERFUL people’s comments!! I just love y’all for commenting!!
I recently moved to the southern border from Tennesee because my husband is a border patrol agent
I really love your site to enjoy some of my southern favorites way down here where no one has any idea what I’m talking about.
I used your sweet potato casserole recipe at Thanksgiving so I’m doing my part in your little plan
When I was in high school (so…5 years ago) my student council hosted a group of students from Ohio. We went out to eat once evening and I was completely appalled when one of the kids read the menu and then asked what chicken fried steak was. My heart goes out to all of those poor, deprived people out there who have never experienced the joy of homemade chicken fried steak and gravy.
Also, I think I’d make Dr. Pepper to your list and then asked to be buried with everything there. <33333
Okay, now we need the recipes for the other food mentioned above for the reunion, especially the yellow cake with the hard chocolate frosting!!
I guarantee they will all be up here soon! lol
The yellow cake recipe, just go here and substitute cocoa for the peanut butter in the icing.
Its a staple and SOOOOO GOOD!
http://www.southernplate.com/2008/07/yellow-cake-with-old-fashioned-peanut.html
I love your ideas for border patrol. I think the world would be a much better place if everybody had a big ol’ bowl of banana pudding, lol.
I’ll be tryin’ out your recipe real soon, probably tonight, lol, since my family loves anything Mexican. I sure it is just as wonderful as all of your other recipes ;o)
Yum! I haven’t had taco pizza in so long! I have used the Nacho Cheese Dorito’s before too. Yummy & so cheesy!
)
yum yum YUM!!! Love it!
I gotta keep saying this… I love this site!
Just wondering, do you think the recipe would come out alright without salsa (My Toddler won’t eat the chunks in it)
I love you loving this site!!!! I’m really enjoying your comments, thank you so much for taking the time to leave them!
If it were me, I’d use a non-chunky salsa or just substitute tomato sauce for it.
It will still taste great!
My toddler thinks all meals should consist of yogurt, pudding, jello, and mac and cheese!
Gratefully,
Christy
Mine thinks they should all have Peanut Butter, Chips, Milk, Yogurt, and Hot Dogs
This was absolutely excellent. I didn’t read the comment about chunkless salsa, before I went grocery shopping, so I used a small amount of leftover pizza sauce, but it was still excellent!!
One of my kids balks at chunky salsa, so I substitute taco sauce.
Made this they lovvvved it.. Going to try chocolate frosting. Looking through recipes for tomorrows dinner
[...] Taco Pizza: Something important to note about Taco Pizza, it is VERY filling. If your family normally eats two regular pizzas, you’ll be doing good to eat one of these. Take me seriously here. It is VERY filling! (This is a good thing!) Now how about some Taco Pizza? I love this stuff and so does my family, but especially me. So if I ever come visit you, just have one of these puppies sitting on the counter and I’ll sit down happily and be quiet for at least five minutes. Alright, three. Recipe from Southern Plate. [...]
Christy, I cried when I read about your Border Patrol. Let me know when you start your campaign for President. I believe you could win on this post alone. And I want to be one of the first “immigrants” when this thing is up & running.
I just found your site and I love this!! My parents are both from NC but I was raised in WI (I know – right?!). My dad moved “back home”, remarried, life went on. In my 20’s we reconnected and I went for a visit. My step-mom was cutting up a green veggie I had never seen. I asked her what it was. You’d have thought I asked her what water was!! She ran out to my dad (who was at the grill) and said “Honey! She ain’t never seen OKRA?!” The horror!!! I tasted her deep fried okra and she told me it was so good, I’d want to slap my mama :0) I must have looked surprised or something cuz she then said “Oh no child, we don’t really slap our mamas – it’s just something we say down here!!”. Then my dad told me if I could have fried okra on my aunt’s angel biscuits, it’d make me wanna slap my mama and my granny!!! They are both working hard to (re)introduce me to my Southern roots – bless their hearts!!!
BUT I was blessed with a mom who knew how to make “real” nanner puddin’
:0)