Yesterday, I found myself craving Mexican food… maybe because I felt it only right to do my part in celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Breakfast was easy – I made a Mexican quesadilla, but couldn’t decide on something quick and easy for dinner. I love enchiladas, but wanted something simpler. I then thought about tacos, which were appealing, however, desired a dish with a crunch, so a tostada seemed to fit the bill. I was having a very lazy Sunday at home, and wanted to continue on that same path, thus made this as easy as possible by using canned refried beans and store-bought tostada shells. My normal method would be to make these from scratch, but honestly, I just wasn’t in the mood to go the extra mile last night. It was all about easy, breezy and tasty… and thankfully, that it was! As I made this just for me, I didn’t do much measuring, but will try to give you some idea as to how much you’ll need for two servings.
Ingredients
- 2 tostada shells
- 1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
- 1/8 head iceberg lettuce, seasoned with salt & vinegar
- 1/2 tomato, chopped
- Guacamole (or 1/2 chopped avocado)
- 2 oz. Mexican four cheese blend (or you favorite kind)
- 4 tbsp. salsa
- A small handful of cilantro, chopped
Directions
- Heat refried beans in a frying pan on medium low until warm.
- Chop lettuce into thin slices and add a little salt (about 1/8 tsp.) and vinegar (about 1/4 tsp.).
- Place tostada shells in oven at 350°F on baking sheet or oven rack, and heat for 3-4 minutes, until you can smell the aroma of them. Be careful not to burn.
- To assemble, place tostadas on a plate, spread the warm/hot refried beans on top, sprinkle a little cheese on top of the beans, then the seasoned lettuce, some chopped tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, a skosh more cheese (if desired), and topped off with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.
Obviously, you can add additional toppings, like chopped onion, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, etc. and tailor this to your liking. I ate this like a slice of pizza, just a little bit more carefully.
Cooking For Love 