Bean Burrito Tostadas

Afternoon snack invention. Sort of like a tostada. Sort of like a bean burrito. Hence the name Bean Burrito Tostadas. But this is WAY more than an afternoon snack - it's perfectly suitable for an amazing vegetarian dinner. The corn tortillas are seasoned and baked until toasty. Then, they're topped with refried black beans, cheese and sliced jalapenos. A quick bake to melt the cheese and you get something like an open-faced burrito with a little crunch. I can tell you this - my boys didn't even put their backpacks down before they dove in.

The best part about these (aside from the fact that they're EASY) is that you can make as many as you need at the time. I made a total of 6, but I could have easily made 12. Or 2. I'm definitely keeping these in mind for football parties.

About the refried beans: I used refried black beans because that's our favorite kind. You can certainly use any refried bean variety YOU like, including fat-free and vegetarian. If you use vegetarian, you can make this a completely vegetarian meal or snack.

Want to make this a NON vegetarian meal? Add shredded or diced cooked chicken or steak (a great way to use up leftovers) or cooked shrimp. Shredded rotisserie chicken would be fantastic too. Add the protein on top of the beans, before you top everything with cheese.

Bean Burrito Tostadas

6 small soft white corn tortillas (you can also use yellow corn tortillas, they're just a little bigger)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon taco or fajita seasoning mix
3/4 cup canned refried black beans (or refried beans of choice)
1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend
1-2 fresh jalapenos, thinly sliced into rounds
Fresh cilantro for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the tortillas on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with the olive oil and season the top with the taco seasoning. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tortillas are golden brown around the edges (they will start to puff up and curve; like they look in the photos below).
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the refried beans on the center of each tortilla and spread out in an even layer. Top with the cheese and jalapeno slices.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve hot or room temperature. Top with cilantro leaves before serving if desired.

Makes 6 tostadas (serves 4-6)