Tostadas

Another great, easy recipe from my slow cooker book. The only quibble I have with this one is that you are basically making taco meat before you put everything into the slow cooker, so you need to find time for that. As I was putting this all together, I wondered how 3 hours of cooking would make this even taste any differently, but it really turned out pretty good. The beans and the cheese soup add another layer of taste and texture to the meat.

I couldn't find tostada, or taco shells, at the supermarket the day I went, but I had some corn tortillas in the freezer. As you can see, I placed two in a small ramekin, then baked at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes to crisp them up. They were alright in a jam but I would still recommend buying the shells. And if you can't find the nacho cheese soup (I couldn't), cheddar cheese soup works just fine.

Tostadas

from Cook Once, Eat Twice Slow Cooker Recipes

Makes 10 servings

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 (1.25-ounce) envelopes taco seasoning mix

1 (16-ounce) can refried beans

1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup

1 (10 count) package tostada shells

toppings such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off fat, add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions.

Transfer meat to 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooker. Stir in beans and soup.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or high heat setting for 1 1/2-2 hours. Serve on tostada shells and top with ingredients on choice.