Anti-recipe: Mexican pizza

I'm always on the lookout for quick, flexible, inexpensive meals, and I thought I'd show you one here. This is inspired by the Mexican pizzas I remember getting as a kid at Taco Bell (+1 to fat American stereotype), though you can make it into whatever you want.

You'll need a starch, some veggies, and at least one source of protein.

For this example, I used:

• two tortillas as my starch
• avocado and salsa as my veggies
• refried beans, cheese, tuna and chili as protein sources

(cheese not pictured, whoops!)

The first thing you'll want to do is toast your tortillas lightly so they're golden brown and just a little crunchy. I stuck mine in the toaster oven until they looked like this:
While your other tortilla is toasting, smear some refried beans on the first one and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Be careful to keep an eye on the one in the toaster oven though, so you don't end up with this:

Multitasking fail

Once the second one is toasted, put it on top of the refried bean layer, add some chili, a little bit of tuna, and whatever seasonings you like.

Microwave for about a minute while you slice up some avocado to put on top.

Once the cheese is melty and everything is warm, add the avocado, slice into pieces, and enjoy!

I was pleasantly surprised with how well this turned out this time. Lots of beans, tuna, and not a lot of fresh veggies, but it still tasted good, was very filling, and the tuna didn't make it taste too fishy.

I would have preferred to have some lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes and cilantro, but I've made some... dubious choices with my food budget this month, so I'm just working out of what's in my pantry. Just remember to think about what you should be put on after microwaving (i.e. lettuce)

Also, if you feel like mixing up the starch used, you could do a layered rice bowl or create a neat sandwich. There are tons of possibilities, that's part of the fun of this anti-recipe :)

How to Read a Book

Step 1: Select a book.  


You can find books in a variety of places, including libraries, bookstores (both new and used) and online stores such as Amazon.  There are many different criteria for book selection, including genre, author, title, critics' ratings, back cover synopsis, and reading the first page to test the waters.  You may find yourself tempted to judge a book by its cover, but this is generally regarded as a bad practice, and should be avoided.

Step 2: Designate a reading time.


Once you have selected the book you wish to read, you must find a time in which to read the book.  Some options are immediately after school or work, while you eat breakfast, during your lunch break, on the bus/train/ferry, or just before you go to sleep at night.

Step 3: Get comfortable.


Settle in.  Tilt your chair back, grab a blanket, put your feet up, or maybe make yourself a cup of tea.  If you are reading while in transit you may need to skip this step, unless, of course, the passenger next to you looks like they wouldn't mind cuddling.

Step 4: Open the cover.


Firmly grip the right edge of the front cover and pull it to the left.  You may wish to smell the book at this point, if you enjoy the aroma of paper.  You can also skip past any pages of publishing information, lists of the author's other works, or tables of contents, as these are not part of the narrative of the book.

Step 5: Begin reading.


When you find the first page of text, begin reading.  Start with the word which is furthest to the top left of the page and read toward the right.  At the end of a line, move to the next line down on the page and repeat the left-to-right method. ***Please note: This step will differ in certain languages.  If you are unsuccessful in completing this step, you may need to attempt a different method.


Step 6: Turn the page.


When you reach the bottom right corner of a right-hand page, you will find that you have run out of words.  At this point, you must grip the right edge of the page and pull it to the the left in the same motion you used to open the cover.  You may now continue reading from the top left corner of the left-hand page.


Step 7: Use a bookmark.


If you intend to read the entire book in one sitting, you may skip this step.  However, if you need to take a break during your reading, it is essential to complete it.  Insert your bookmark between the two pages to which your book is currently open.  Set the book down in a safe place until you can return to it, at which point you can start reading again where you left off.


Step 8: Finish the book.


Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you have read the final word on the final page.  At this point you will have completed the book.  Congratulations!  If it is a library book, you must return it when you have finished it.  If you purchased the book, you have several options.  You can place it on a bookshelf for safe keeping, pass it on to a friend, re-sell it, or a donate it to a used goods store.  You are now prepared to begin reading another book.