Here's another use for the leftover chipotle pulled pork. This was made with a portion that I had frozen in a zip top bag. I decided to make this at 5 this afternoon and by 7 we had a homemade pizza better than anything we could have ordered. Normally if I am planning to make pizza, I make the dough early in the day so that it has plenty of time to rise, but this worked out just fine.

I added fresh rosemary and red pepper flakes to the dough to give the crust a little extra zing. I also went very lightly on the cheese because we are still recuperating from the holidays and so I have been cutting back wherever I can without compromising the flavor. Feel free to add more cheese if you're so inclined. We didn't miss it at all. The spinach is also of the frozen variety. This entire pizza was made with either staples that I always have on hand or something that I pulled from the freezer, but you would never guess that by the taste. Here's what you'll need:

1 recipe pizza dough ( I added about 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1 TBL fresh rosemary)
olive oil
ricotta cheese
chipotle pulled pork
1 shallot
parmesan cheese, grated
fresh rosemary, chopped
serrano pepper
frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture

Start by rolling out the pizza dough. We like it pretty thin, but if you like it thick that works too.

Drizzle the crust with olive oil. I added a little red pepper infuse olive oil as well.

Add the pulled pork.

Add the spinach.

Thinly slice the shallot and separate into rings and add to the pizza.

Slice the Serrano pepper and add. I leave the seeds in because we like spicy food, but remove the seeds if you want a milder flavor.

Mince the fresh rosemary and add.

Now add as much ricotta as you want. I just spoon on dollops.

Top all of the ingredients with the greated parmesan.

Bake on a pizza stone in a preheated 500 degree oven until the crust is brown.

At this point I should say that I can't live without my pizza stones. If you want a crust that is really crisp on the outside but still tender on the inside, you need to use a pizza stone. Cookie sheets and the metal pizza pans just don't do the trick. I keep my stone in the oven all the time so I don't have to worry about storing them. They also have the added benefit of keeping the temperature of the oven even.

Enjoy!

Lynn

Chipotle Pork Enchilada Salad

I know I say this a lot, but I'm going to say it again and I want you to pay attention. You MUST try this recipe. Really. Try it. I couldn't stop eating it. This is a full meal that is hot and cold, sweet and spicy, gooey and crunchy. What more could you ask for? I used some chipotle pulled pork that I had left over, but you don't have to go to the trouble of making that just for this recipe. It would be good with any kind of meat you have on hand like grilled chicken even hamburger. Here's what you'll need:

12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 C chipotle pulled pork (or any cooked meat)
1 can enchilada sauce (reserve 2 TBL for dressing)
2 C shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
sliced, pickled jalapeños

Dressing

2 avocados
1 C sour cream
1/4 C cilantro
4 oz fresh lime juice
1-1 1/2 C buttermilk (you may want a little more for a thinner dressing)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (this makes it spicy, so you can always use less)
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBL enchilada sauce

Start by spraying a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with 4 corn tortillas, tearing them to fit. Top with some of the enchilada sauce, then 1/2 of the pork. Repeat with tortillas, sauce then remaining meat. Make 1 last layer of tortillas and the sauce (making sure you reserve 2 TBL for the dressing) then top with the shredded cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-29 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly.

While the casserole is baking, you can make the dressing. Just put the avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, cayenne, salt, and enchilada sauce in a blender and mix it until it's smooth. Then add the buttermilk and mix again. If you want the dressing to be thinner, add a little more buttermilk.

After you take the casserole out of the oven, it's time to add the salad. Chop the iceberg lettuce and halve the cherry tomatoes. Add the lettuce on the top of the casserole then add the cherry tomatoes and sliced jalapeños. Really pile it on here because this is a salad. I used almost the whole head of lettuce. Dish the casserole onto plates and add the dressing. You want to serve this while the casserole is still hot. Yum!