Old Tucson Mexican Tostada

Using fresh, natural, easy to find ingredients,
you can make a quick dinner for your family
that the kids will go crazy for!
This is an authentic recipe from old Tucson.
This recipe uses ingredients that are easy
to find and inexpensive too! It can be a
vegetarian meal or made with meat.

Ingredients:
One dozen corn tortillas. You can use flour tortillas for lighter, crispier tostadas, but the corn are heartier and healthier. For fewer diners, use fewer tortillas.
One or two medium-sized cans of re-fried beans. (Between 15 and 30 ounces) The amount of beans depends on how many people you are serving. For 3 people, one can is plenty. For 4-5, you will probably need more.
8 ounces medium cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese - grated
About a half a head of lettuce - choose your favorite kind - sliced or chopped
One or two tomatoes, depending on how much your family likes tomatoes - chopped
1/2 cup of vegetable oil (not olive oil)
Mexican salsa or hot sauce

Optional ingredients:
one ripe avocado, sliced or chopped
1/2 chopped onion
chopped olives
shredded chicken, beef, or cooked, ground beef
(using leftover chicken or steak is a great option)
sour cream

Directions:
1.Heat oil in a heavy skillet on med/high heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, lay in one or two tortillas at a time, flat, depending on their size and the size of the pan. Turn them over soon after adding to the oil, and and every minute or so after until crisp and golden brown. Turning them over more frequently will assure that they stay flat. Do not scorch. Each tortillas should take about 3-4 minutes. Flour tortillas will cook more quickly. After removing tortillas from the oil, lay them on a paper towel (on a plate or cookie sheet) to drain. It's OK if they cool a little.
2.Heat beans on the stove, on low heat, stirring frequently, or in a microwave. They should be served piping hot.
3.Spread one or two tablespoons of beans on each fried tortilla and place one or two bean-covered tortilla on each person's plate.
4.Arrange lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa and other condiments in bowls and place them on the table or a buffet. Let your family or guests add them onto the bean layer as they want.
5.Recommended order: fried tortilla, layer of beans, very small handful of cheese, small pile of lettuce, a sprinkling of tomato and other optional ingredients; top with a tablespoon of salsa and/or sourcream.