Ingredients

• 6-8 corn tortillas
• 1 lb. ground beef
• oil for frying tortillas


• Seasoning
• Dry
  
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/8 teaspoon for a milder spice)
• 1 teaspoon oregano (ground or dried)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt


• Wet
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ketchup


• Tostada Toppings (all are optional)
• Note: To make tostada in photo, use all ingredients below OR use any toppings you prefer)
• 8 oz. container sour cream
• 1 avocado, chopped into bite-size chunks
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped into bite-size chunks
• 1 16-oz. (or smaller) jar sliced pepperoncinis
• iceberg lettuce, chopped or thinly sliced
• 1/2-3/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2-3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• salsa (homemade or other)

Directions

Seasoning

In a small mixing bowl, whisk or stir together Dry Seasoning ingredients. Set aside near cooking area. In another small mixing bowl, whisk together Wet Seasoning ingredients and set aside near cooking area. Stack a few paper towels on a large plate near cooking area.

Tortillas
In a small skillet, add enough oil to make 1/4 inch deep. Heat until hot. When hot, gently place one tortilla at a time in skillet. Cook until first side turns golden, then turn over tortilla with tongs and cook other side until golden. When each tortilla is finished cooking, place on paper towels to drain. Make as many tortillas as you will need (you can store leftover meat in the fridge or freezer and fry new tortillas when you're ready to use the meat again).

Beef Mixture
Cook ground beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat until all pink is gone, breaking into small chunks while cooking. Drain excess liquid from skillet. Sprinkle Dry Seasoning mixture over meat and stir until thoroughly combined. Add Wet Seasoning Mixture mixture and stir to combine. Cook uncovered over low-medium heat, frequently stirring, for about 3 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated yet meat is still moist. Remove from heat.

Assembly
Putting together your tostadas is a personal experience. You can add any of the Tostada Toppings mentioned above to your own preference. If using sour cream and/or refried beans, spread onto tortilla first, starting with refried beans. Add homemade or other salsa (and hot pepper sauce if you are using), then add any other preferred toppings, topping with lettuce then cheeses.