Make A Meal.

Hey!  It's Make A Meal.  On a Tuesday even.  You know, until last week my kids had never had a tostada. Sad.  I know.  So I made some for dinner.  And then we had them again last night.  I love them.  So I thought I'd share.

Tostadas

Here are the things you need...

Corn tortillas, salsa, taco seasoning, refried beans, pinto beans, diced chipotle tomatoes, Greek yogurt, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and then a few things I didn' have in the picture...ground beef, oil and olives...and CHEESE! Duh.

First, brown your ground beef and then add the canned tomatoes, juice and all, and the pinto beans.  Add some taco seasoning to taste. Heat through and keep warm.

While that's cooking, get all your toppings chopped and sliced and stuff. Here I have our cheese surrounded by chopped tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, olives, Greek yogurt (my new sour cream) and then the avocados diced up with a great sprinkle of garlic salt and a splash of lemon or lime juice.

And yes, I buy the taco seasoning in bulk.  Necessity!

Heat the oil on the stove top and then drop the corn tortillas in one by one. Let them bathe for about 30-40 seconds on each side.  The longer you leave them in the crispier they will be. 

Then you just make up your plate.

This is for my quesadilla child.  Yes, I know we are making tostadas.  But this guy needed a quesadilla.  Hey, I had all the makings for a great quesadilla.  Why not?

This one made what she called her secret recipe.  A taco.  She put all her toppings in the tortilla and then folded it over.  No need to try to get the flat tostada in the mouth.  Just roll it up.

I know her bangs are long.  The bobby pin was gone for the day and, well, I miss her eyes.

One boy didn't want anything to do with our second tostada night.  He preferred the yummy hot pocket.  I just don't understand.

With some extra tortillas, I cut them into triangles and made some chips.  I put too much salt on them when they came out of the oil.  So they didn't get eaten.

Tostada-aaah  Here is my finished product.  Oh it was delicious.

Tostada

1 pound ground beef

1 can diced tomatoes (chipotle flavor)

1 can pinto beans

Taco seasoning

Brown  beef in large skillet.  Drain fat.  Add tomatoes with juice and pinto beans.  Season with taco seasoning to taste.  Heat through and keep warm.

Stack of corn tortillas

Oil

Heat oil in skillet.  Add tortillas one at a time to hot oil.  Turn after 30-40 seconds.  Remove from oil after another 30-40 seconds.  Let drain on paper towels.

Diced tomatoes

Shredded cheese

Olives

Avocados, diced with lemon juice and garlic salt

Shredded lettuce

Salsa

Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Refried beans

Meat mixture

Lay out one tortilla. Add refried beans, meat mixture and then any of the yummy toppings in any order you like!

Ole!

I usually have meat mixture left over.  I use it the next night for Cowboy Casserole.  Put the mixture (if you need to bulk it up, add another can of beans (pinto or black) and some salsa) into a baking dish.  Top with shredded cheese and then crush tortilla chips on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Serve with Greek yogurt and salsa.