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Epoch Times
09-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Spicy Beef Tostadas Reinvigorate the Taco Tuesday Tradition
When you need to throw something together for a fast and easy weeknight meal, tacos are often a busy cook's first choice. That's because you can stuff almost anything inside a hard or soft tortilla—including leftovers—top it with some shredded lettuce and/or crunchy veggies, add a generous sprinkling of cheese and feel like a total winner. Tostadas—flat and crispy (and sometimes bowl-shaped) tortilla shells piled high with meat, seafood, or vegetables—are just as easy if you're looking to change things up on Taco Tuesday, but still want to stick to a Mexican theme. Why do we love this Mexican version of the open-faced sandwich? Like their crunchy folded cousins, tostadas are very versatile. They also can be assembled in 20 minutes or less, depending on the chosen protein and whether or not any veggies have to be cooked. In other words, you don't have to think too hard to make tostadas. This recipe brings together ground beef that's been spiced up (considerably) with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and the traditional taco fixings of shredded iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, chopped cilantro, and crumbled Cotija cheese. Related Stories 8/19/2023 10/2/2023 There's also a layer of mashed refried beans to help the toppings stick to the fried tortilla. Depending on how involved you want diners to be, you can either assemble the tostadas before serving or place the toppings in separate bowls and let everyone serve themselves. Some recipes call for frying the tostada shells in hot oil before adding the toppings to make them hot and extra crunchy, but I took the shortcut of simply warming them in the oven. Tostadas can be eaten like a pizza slice with both hands, or on a plate using a fork and knife. Just note: The more toppings you pile on, the messier it will be. Spicy ground beef tostadas are topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and crumbly cojita cheese. Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS Spicy Ground Beef Tostadas PG tested Serves 4. For meat layer 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or alternative 1 pound ground beef 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons sauce, or to taste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 8-ounce can refried beans, warmed 8 tostadas (flat crisp shell) For topping Handful of shredded iceberg lettuce Handful of shredded red cabbage 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped red onion Large handful fresh cilantro, chopped 1 cup crumbed Cotija cheese 1 avocado, peeled and cut into wedges 3 limes, divided Salsa, optional Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is sizzling, add ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is no longer pink. Stir in onion, garlic, chipotle peppers and sauce, cumin, and chili powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If meat is too spicy, thin sauce with a little water.) Empty refried beans into a small saucepan placed over low to medium heat. Stir frequently until the beans are heated through. Keep the beans on warm while you prepare the various toppings and warm the tostada shells, adding water as necessary to keep a creamy consistency. Toss shredded lettuce with juice of 1 lime and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut 2 remaining limes into wedges. Heat tostada shells in a preheated 350-degree F oven until hot and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Assemble the tostadas. Divide the shells among plates and spread a thin layer of warmed refried bean on top. (This will act as a glue for the ground beef.) Spoon the meat mixture on top of the beans. Top with shredded lettuce and cabbage, halved tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and crumbled Cotija cheese, and serve immediately. If desired, spoon on some jarred salsa. For additional heat, add a few slices of pickled jalapeno; to tone it down a notch, add a dollop of sour cream. Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to
Epoch Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Brunch on Potato Crust Quiche With Spinach, Feta, and Bacon
Brunch can be tough for those who are wheat-free because so many favorite breakfast foods—pancakes, waffles, French toast, and avocado toast—are made with flour or bread. Enter the potato crust quiche, a gluten-free take on the popular French tart filled with creamy custard and studded with any number of cheeses, meats, and vegetables. Made with smashed baby Yukon Gold potatoes instead of a traditional pastry crust, the vegetarian crust is both easy to pull together and makes the dish a little heartier than an everyday pie crust. Because it's crispier, a potato crust also adds more textural interest to the dish. This recipe is extremely adaptable to personal tastes or whatever ingredients need to be cleaned out of your refrigerator's crisper or happen to be on sale. If, for instance, you don't like feta, use Swiss or cheddar cheese to bind the filling instead. You can also ditch the bacon for a custard packed with ham, chorizo, or any other sausage. For a meat-free quiche, stir in any favorite chopped vegetable—think fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, or fresh or sun-dried tomatoes. Related Stories 12/31/2024 10/26/2023 Looking to be even more creative? You also can play around with the herbs and spices, adding more or less, changing them up or leaving them out altogether, save for the salt. My husband, for instance, was not a fan of the fresh dill I added to the filling. Or as he put it, 'What was that?' Leftovers can be reheated, covered in foil, until warm in a 350 degree F oven. You also can reheat quiche pieces in a skillet or air fryer. This recipe is extremely adaptable to personal tastes or whatever ingredients need to be cleaned out of your refrigerator's crisper or happen to be on sale. Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS Potato Crust Quiche with Spinach, Feta, and Bacon Serves 6-8 PG tested 2 1/2pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed 2 tablespoons, plus 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 12-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry 6-ounce package crumbled garlic and herb feta (about 1 cup) 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 8 large eggs, lightly whipped 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 generous tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish 1 generous tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position rack in lower third of oven. Combine potatoes, 2 tablespoons salt and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, undisturbed. Reduce heat to medium; cook, undisturbed, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Generously brush a 10-inch cast-iron skillet evenly with 2 tablespoons oil. Place drained potatoes in an even layer in skillet. Using a flat-bottom measuring cup, smash potatoes firmly into the bottom, then press over bottom and about 1 1/2-inch up sides of skillet. Use a spoon or small offset spatula to evenly spread potatoes, smoothing and patching any holes or thin spots as needed. Brush potato crust evenly with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Bake potato crust until edges are golden brown and slightly crisp and center is lightly golden, 35-40 minutes. While crust bakes, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a separate medium skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently until very soft and tender, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and crumbled until evenly combined. Set aside. Remove skillet from oven. Sprinkle half of the feta (about 1/2 cup) in an even layer over bottom of potato crust. Top evenly with spinach mixture followed by remaining half of feta. Whisk together eggs, cream, dill, mint, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined, about 30 seconds. Pour egg mixture over filling in skillet, spreading into an even layer, if needed. Carefully transfer to oven using kitchen mitts. Bake until filling is set and a paring knife inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes, loosely covering edges with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning if needed. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving, about 20 minutes. Serve garnished with more dill and mint, if desired. Instead of pastry, the crust for this cheesy springtime quiche is made with baby Yukon gold potatoes. Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to
