The Making of a Tostada

If you've read my weekly menu plans for very long at all you have probably noticed that we have tostadas quite often.  The kiddos LOVE them and they are SO easy to fix~I generally plan to have them on a busy weeknight because they take hardly any time to whip up.

However a couple of weeks ago someone asked me what exactly a tostada was, so I thought I would just share this simple meal with you (even though it's almost embarrassingly simple).  My family LOVES Mexican food and my husband is even a former employee of Taco Bell, so this stuff is just in our blood ;)

1. Pick up some tostada shells at the grocery store.  I must say that Aldi's has the best ones.  Their brand is made in Mexico and just has a more authentic taste than ...say...the Old El Paso ones that are made in Texas.  But, of course, you may not be a tostada shell snob like me, and that's okay. ;)  

2.  Also grab yourself a can of refried beans, a can of enchilada sauce, some shredded lettuce, and some shredded cheese.  Warm the beans and the enchilada sauce in separate bowls. 

3.  Heat your oven to 225F and pop the shells in on a cookie sheet and let them warm up.  It doesn't take long, maybe 10 minutes or so.

4.  Spread the warmed shell with a generous spoonful of refried beans.  

5.  Next, drizzle a spoonful (or two) of enchilada sauce over the beans.

6.  Top that with a small handful of shredded lettuce.

7.  Finally, add the shredded cheese on top.  And you're done!  Really, that's it!  Now eat up and enjoy:)  

My kiddos usually eat a couple of these each (at least!) in a sitting--and they love to make their own!  It's an inexpensive and yummy meal for the whole family.  

*****

Updated: I was asked by a friend who saw this post "How do you eat these?"  So I came back here to tell you ...it's a crunchy shell so just pick it up like a taco (keeping it level, of course) and eat it from the outer edges in :)