Cheesy tostada bake for Cinco de Mayo

It’s still cold here in New England! It’s hard to believe that much of the country is not only warming up a lot, but that grills have long been in use. For our neighbors south of the border, it’s not only warm, but also a very festive time of year: Cinco de Mayo! Since it’s still so cold here, I can only think about my warm dishes to help my family get in the mood. This tostada bake is like a delicious Mexican lasagna. Try it and see if it doesn’t become one of your family’s favorite Mexican-inspired dishes

If you want to make this a heartier dish, you could add ground beef to the tomato mixture. We like it as is, and don’t feel that it needs anything more than some vegetable and fruit garnishes like avocado wedges (or guacamole, yum!), asparagus, and oranges.

Cheesy Tostada Bake

2 onions, chopped
2 clove of garlic, minced
3 T butter
2 16 oz cans of tomatoes, chopped or diced
2 t oregano
Salt and pepper
20 crisp tostada shells (or taco shells), coarsely broken
2 c cream
2 c (1/2 lb) jack cheese, grated

Saute the onions and garlic in butter in a skillet until soft. Add the tomatoes and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes and set aside. In a greased 9×13 baking dish, pour 1/2 of the tomato sauce. Layer on 1/2 of the tostada pices, 1 c cream, and 1 c cheese. Repeat all layers. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes to set before serving.

Image: Stock.xchng