Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole

Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole Recipe

Region / culture: Mexico | Preparation time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6

Introduction

Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole is a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for using up leftover turkey. This recipe combines crispy tortillas, flavorful turkey, creamy refried beans, and fresh toppings to create a mouthwatering meal that is sure to impress your family and friends.

History

The origins of tostadas can be traced back to Mexico, where they are a popular street food. Traditionally, tostadas are made by frying or baking a tortilla until it is crispy, then topping it with a variety of ingredients such as beans, meat, cheese, and vegetables. This recipe puts a unique twist on the classic tostada by using leftover turkey as the main protein.

Ingredients

6 x 12 inches flour tortillas
4 cups turkey leftovers
4 cups refried beans
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 small can sliced black olives
hot sauce or salsa to taste
3 cups shredded jack cheese, cheddar or pepper jack cheese
2 diced tomatoes
1 diced onion
1 bunch cilantro tops
sour cream
guacamole (recipe follows)

Award-winning Guacamole

3 ripe, large California hass avocados, peeled and seeded
2 vine-ripe roma tomatoes, diced small
1 medium white onion minced real small (about 0.5 cup)
juice from 1 large lime or 0.5 lemon
garlic salt
0.5 cup chopped cilantro

How to prepare

Heat the beans.
Heat the oil in a pan large enough to fry the tortilla.
Fry the tortilla until crisp using a basket mold to make a tortilla bowl.
Place the turkey in the pan and simmer with one cup of water or chicken broth until the liquid is almost gone.
Add 0.5 cup of your favorite salsa and simmer for a few minutes.
Spoon a dab of hot beans on a plate and place a tortilla bowl on top (the beans will help keep it on the plate).
Spoon 0.5 cup of beans into the bottom of the tortilla shell.
Sprinkle with 0.25 cup of cheese and spoon on 0.17 cup of the turkey mixture, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, more cheese, sliced olives, a dab of sour cream, and a generous helping of guacamole.
Serve salsa or hot sauce on the side.
For the award-winning guacamole preparation, mash the avocado, keeping it lumpy.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and garlic salt to taste.

Variations

Use shredded chicken or beef instead of turkey.
Add jalapenos or hot sauce for extra heat.
Top with diced avocado for even more creaminess.

Cooking Tips & Tricks

Make sure to fry the tortillas until they are crispy to ensure that they hold up well under the weight of the toppings.

- Simmering the turkey in salsa adds flavor and helps to keep the meat moist.

- Be generous with the toppings - the more, the better!

- Serve the tostadas with extra salsa or hot sauce on the side for added flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole with a side of Mexican rice and a fresh green salad for a complete meal.

Cooking Techniques

Frying the tortillas until crispy.

- Simmering the turkey in salsa for added flavor.

- Layering the toppings to create a visually appealing dish.

Ingredient Substitutions

Use pinto beans instead of refried beans.

- Use cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack.

- Use store-bought guacamole if you don't have time to make your own.

Make Ahead Tips

You can prepare the guacamole and chop the toppings ahead of time to save time when assembling the tostadas.

Presentation Ideas

Arrange the tostadas on a platter and garnish with extra cilantro leaves for a beautiful presentation.

Pairing Recommendations

Serve Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole with a cold beer or a refreshing margarita for a festive meal.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Store any leftover tostadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, place them in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Calories per serving

Each serving of Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole contains approximately 400 calories.

Carbohydrates

Each serving of Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole contains approximately 45 grams of carbohydrates.

Fats

Each serving of Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole contains approximately 20 grams of fat.

Proteins

Each serving of Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole contains approximately 25 grams of protein.

Vitamins and minerals

This dish is rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C from the tomatoes and cilantro, and potassium from the avocados.

Alergens

This recipe contains dairy (cheese and sour cream) and gluten (tortillas). It may also contain allergens such as garlic and onions.

Summary

Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole is a balanced meal that provides a good mix of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Summary

Garden Center Café Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole is a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for using up leftover turkey. With crispy tortillas, flavorful turkey, creamy refried beans, and fresh toppings, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite. Enjoy!

How did I get this recipe?

The moment I found this recipe is etched in my memory forever. It was a sunny Saturday morning, and I was browsing through the shelves of a quaint little bookstore in the heart of the city. As I flipped through the pages of a cookbook titled "Garden Center Café: A Culinary Journey," a recipe caught my eye - Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole.

I was intrigued by the combination of flavors and ingredients in the recipe. The thought of crispy tostadas topped with juicy turkey and creamy guacamole made my mouth water. I knew I had to try it out.

I rushed home with the cookbook tucked under my arm and immediately set to work in the kitchen. As I chopped, diced, and sautéed, the aroma of the cooking turkey filled the air, mingling with the fresh scent of cilantro and lime from the guacamole. It was a symphony of flavors that danced on my taste buds.

When the dish was finally ready, I took my first bite and was transported to culinary heaven. The crunch of the tostada, the tender turkey, and the smooth guacamole created a perfect harmony of textures and flavors. I knew I had stumbled upon a gem of a recipe.

Over the years, I have perfected the art of making Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole. I have served it to friends and family at countless gatherings, and it has always been a hit. The secret, I believe, lies in the fresh ingredients and the careful balance of flavors.

But the story of how I learned to make this recipe goes beyond a chance encounter in a bookstore. It is a tale of culinary exploration and the generosity of strangers.

One summer, I attended a cooking workshop at the Garden Center Café, a charming little eatery nestled in the heart of the countryside. The café was known for its farm-to-table approach and innovative recipes that celebrated the bounty of the garden.

During the workshop, I met a kind elderly lady named Mrs. Jenkins. She was a regular at the café and had a wealth of knowledge about cooking and gardening. As we chopped vegetables and stirred pots together, she shared her favorite recipes and cooking tips with me.

One day, as we sat in the café's sun-dappled garden, Mrs. Jenkins told me about the Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole. She had won a cooking competition with that recipe years ago and it had become a signature dish of hers.

With a twinkle in her eye, Mrs. Jenkins handed me a handwritten copy of the recipe, complete with her own personal touches and variations. She encouraged me to make it my own and share it with others.

I was touched by Mrs. Jenkins' generosity and the bond we had formed over our shared love of cooking. She had passed on not just a recipe, but a piece of herself and her culinary journey.

Since then, I have made the Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole countless times, each time with a sense of gratitude and nostalgia for the memories it holds. It is a dish that brings people together, creating moments of joy and connection around the dining table.

As I sit here, penning down the story of how I learned to make this recipe, I am reminded of the power of food to transcend barriers and forge bonds. In a world that is often divided, a shared meal can bring us closer together, reminding us of our common humanity and the simple pleasures of life.

So the next time you gather around the table with loved ones, I urge you to whip up a batch of Turkey Tostadas with Prize-winning Guacamole. Let the flavors speak for themselves, and may they bring you as much joy and connection as they have brought me over the years.

Bon appétit!