Tostadas

I love Mexican food. No, make that American Mexican (AM) food because even though I know someone's abuela makes killer corn tortillas, I am not convinced that Tostadas are really a genuine Mexican food. I could be wrong and someone is free to correct me. But I get a feeling Tostadas are like Crab Rangoon. Tasty but nothing like what you would find in China.

But back to AM food. Besides Italian, AM is the easiest type of food to cook, I find. Some chili, onion and garlic powder, oregano and cumin makes for a mean AM dish. And, just look at how pretty everything is.

They say you eat with your eyes first (this is an important thing to remember when picking out place settings, actually, because you never want your plates to compete with the food. This is why most restaurants have white plates. After TGH and I move, I will break out my all white plates. For now, I make due) and it is true. Nothing is more beautiful to me than a rainbow of colors on a plate. Ah.
Tostadas
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup of water
12 Tostadas
1 can of refried beans, I used vegetarian refried beans
1 small head of lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups of shredded cheese, I used mild cheddar
Sour cream
Taco Sauce
Salsa

Directions:
~Heat the oven to 325 degrees and bake the Tostada shells in a single layer on a baking sheet for 6 to 7 minutes.

~Meanwhile, brown the beef and drain off the fat. Combine all of the spices and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture has thicken and most of the water has evaporated.

To assemble the Tostadas:
~Heat the refried beans in a microwave safe bowl on high to 2 1/2 minutes.

~Spread a thin layer of beans on the Tostada shell. Top with the seasoned meat, taco sauce, lettuces, cheese, tomato and sour cream.

~Serve with a side of Spanish Rice and Refried Beans topped with Pepper Jack cheese (recipe to follow).

This recipe is very easy to make vegetarian. Just either replace the ground beef with tofu crumbles or eliminate it completely.

recipe by: The Good Wife