Recipe: Tostadas

The more recipes I add to this blog, the more you’ll come to realize, we like Tex-Mex food. I won’t claim that this is authentic Mexican food because I’ve never been to Mexico. But a lot of it can be found in Oklahoma kitchens and restaurants alike.

If you want to read about tostadas and unmet expectations, hop over to my original blog and read this post.

Most of my cooking omits fresh onion. Sometimes I can squeeze in a little onion powder without much notice, but my hubby does not like onions otherwise.

Also, most of my cooking is suitable for large families as we feed 7 mouths at the dinner table most nights.

White Corn Tortillas or Tostada Shells (I like to fry ours up fresh.)
1/3c Avocado Oil
2 1/2 lb. ground beef
1tsp. Cumin
1/2tsp. Himalayan Salt
1/4tsp. Black Pepper
1/2tsp. Paprika
1/8tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2tsp. Onion Powder
2-3 Fresh Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1c fresh shredded lettuce (We use leaf or romaine for added nutrients.)
2c shredded cheese (We’ve been on a cheddar kick, but lots of cheeses work for this recipe.)
1 can Refried Beans
18 Fresh eggs
Sour Cream
Salsa

I start with prepping veggies and measuring my spices into a small dish or cup. I get everything chopped and covered, ready for when the tostadas are done.

Brown the ground beef thoroughly. Drain off the excess grease. Add the spices. Sometimes I add 1/4c water to the meat and spices to mix everything thoroughly, then let it simmer together on low heat while I prep the tostada shells and fry the eggs.

Start heating the refried beans on low-med heat.

If I’ve bought tortillas to fry, I get my avocado oil heated in a small skillet, then I add 1 corn tortilla at a time, and let them fry on each side for 1 min – 1 min 30 sec. I remove the first one and make sure it gets crispy. Sometimes I have to adjust the heat, change burners, or increase the time in the oil. (I stick the already crunchy tostada shells in the oven to warm them, per the directions on the box.)

Once I’m happy with how the tortillas are crisping, I make 2 tostada shells for each person I’m feeding. (That’s too many for the little kids, which leaves extra for the adults and big kids.)

As the last of the shells come off the stove, I start frying eggs in a little bit of butter. This is where extra hands come in helpful, and usually, my husband jumps right in for this part. He grabs a shell and layers it with beans, meat, cheese, then sticks the plate over my way to receive one over-medium egg on top.

The kids then pick lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, and/or salsa for their toppings, and hubby and I work down the line until everyone has tostadas.

This is a simple, delicious meal. I will warn you, the runny eggs can be a little messy so be sure to equip everyone with a napkin and remind them to eat over their plates.

I hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s a favorite at our house!