I love any kind of Mexican/Tex-Mex style food. These beef tostadas are particularly bueño. I like the refried beans in there. It is also nice that everyone can assemble their tostada with the toppings they prefer. I personally like about a hundred jalapeños on mine.

Beef Tostadas

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound ground beef
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 15-ounce can refried beans
1/3 cup sour cream
8 corn tostadas (I couldn’t find these, so I put my ingredients in a taco bowl)
1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
Shredded lettuce, hot sauce or salsa, pickled jalapeños and cilantro, for topping

Directions:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Add the beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chili powder and cook, stirring, about 2 more minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a small saucepan. Thin the sour cream with about 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.

4. Spread the beans on the tostadas, then top with the beef and cheese. Drizzle with the sour cream. Top with your favorite toppings.

Serves 4

Recipe from Food Network Magazine

How about some mariachi music to go with your tostadas?

Specifically Mariachi El Bronx, which is a side project of the L.A. punk band, The Bronx.

Mariachi El Bronx opened for DeVotchKa when I saw them back in March. (Mmmmmm…DeVotchKa…I gushed wrote about them here. They were a fun opening act. Tons of instruments, tons of talent. That Spanish sound going on.

Mariachi El Bronx’slead singer had quite the mouth on him. F Bombs aplenty. It was great. They were great.
Mariachi El Bronx-Slave Labour

The band were dressed exactly the same as in this video. Sounded the same, too. (Really? Yes.)

Mariachi El Bronx have a second album out on 8/2/11. You can hear the first track on the band’s website. Visit the digital store on the site to buy their music. The Bronx stuff is also for sale there.

Here is a video of the band when they are The Bronx. Different, yes, but very cool. Save this song for after dinner. Maybe while knocking back tequila shots.

Cheers!