Baked Beef Tostadas with Mexican Rice

I think I'm going to start adding a few of my recipes to my blog. It's fun for me and it might give you some ideas if you're ever in a dinner pinch. Plus, for my happiness project, I decided that I want to focus on promoting hospitality via cooking/hosting for others. So, here are all of those ideas wrapped in one. Today, I'm featuring traditional ground beef tostadas with mexican rice.

I'm from Kansas. I grew up eating beef. My family often raised cattle on our farm and had them butchered locally. However, when I moved to Kentucky, I soon figured out that beef tastes a whole lot less appetizing around here. I actually prefer chicken anyway (unless we're talking about brisket or flat iron steak and then you're speaking my love language). However, I don't mind using ground beef for some things and when it's terribly bland, it's a fun challenge to spice it up. Enjoy the recipe below.

Serves: Approx. 4 (rice will definitely feed at least four)

Ingredients for Tostadas:
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- taco seasoning (check out my taco seasoning from this blog here)
- 4 corn tortillas
- EVOO (for coating tortillas)
- 15 oz of pinto beans (drained if you're using them from a can)
- Feta Cheese
- Cilantro (for garnish)

Ingredients for Mexican Rice:
- 1 cup of jasmine rice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
- 2 cups broth (chicken, beef or veggie will work just fine)
- 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
- 1 clove of garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Leaves from 3-4 sprigs of cilantro
- Dash of ground red pepper (if you want some extra spice)

For the Tostadas:
Preheat oven to 410 F

Cook ground beef; rinse; drain. Return to the skillet. Add in pinto beans and taco seasoning along with a 1/4 cup of water or so. This will help create a nice sauce for the ground beef and bean mixture. Let mixture come to a boil, then simmer it on low for five minutes or so, stirring periodically.

Meanwhile, lay corn tortillas out on a baking sheet. Coat both sides lightly with EVOO. Make sure the surface area of the tortillas are covered or the shells will turn out chewy instead of crunchy. Bake the shells for 5 min. on each side. When finished, top each shell with the ground beef/bean mixture. Then, top with feta. Bake in the oven for 3-5 additional minutes. Garnish with cilantro or any other toppings.

*I like using feta cheese in this dish because it's saltier than cheddar or mozzarella. It really brings out the flavor in the ground beef. 

For the Mexican rice:

In a skillet, on medium heat, stir jasmine rice and EVOO until the rice is puffy and golden, about 5 minutes. After that, add in the broth slowly and carefully (the rice and oil will begin to pop when you do this). Also add in tomato sauce, garlic, cumin, red pepper (optional). Stir rice so the ingredients blend together well. Wait for the rice to return to a boil, then cover the skillet and reduce to low heat. Let the rice simmer for 10 minutes or so. Stir in cilantro and let rice cook for 3-5 additional minutes or until the rice begins sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add extra salt if need be (I normally don't add much).

Delicioso!

 Molly

::Nourished:: - Meanderings on Hospitality

hos·pi·tal·i·ty noun \ˌhäs-pə-ˈta-lə-tē\:
:generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests : hospitable treatment

:the activity of providing food, drinks, etc. for people who are the guests or customers of an organization.

Merriam-Webster defines hospitality as just that. The first time that I really even began to uncover and discover the meaning of hospitality was when I lived in my first apartment in college. Our apartment became a "hub," of sorts, a place for people to come and gather and eat, on many occasions. My roommates and I actually made it a priority to invite others over for dinner to our house. I'm going to say that this took place at least once a week, but much of the time, more often than that. I loved it. I loved hosting and cooking and being. I relished those moments.

However, as I began to discover the beauty of hospitality I also wondered if there might be more to it -- more than inviting people into a space and taking care of them, which is a lot in itself anyway. Last semester sometime, I was reading about hospitality for seminary and Henri Nouwen's insight about hospitality jumped off the page in his book, Reaching Out, he notes: "Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.”

Wow. Nouwen said, in words, what my brain was trying to figure out. As a person that still loves to cook, host and be, I simply keep Nouwen's words in mind when I do those things. While hospitality encompasses more than just hosting, cooking and being, this is the more specific form in which I like to practice it. So, if I ever invite you over to my house for supper, tea, or something of the like, know that I keep Nouwen's words in mind. 

In my home, when I host you or cook for you or talk with you, my hope is that you wouldn't just experience food, chatter and laughter. My hope is that the part in you that needs to be nourished the most is indeed nourished. My hope is that you would experience a peace and freedom that only true hospitality, Christian hospitality, and hospitality empowered by the Holy Spirit can provide. 

Home Sweet Bargains

In May, right before we left for Dallas, we moved to Kalas Village, just down the street from our old house. We had planned to live in Kalas Village, the seminary community housing, all along; however as they built new houses, we were on the waiting list. Consequently, our old home never really felt like "home." We were in transition and kept a lot of things packed up in boxes. There was a lack of decor in our old house and that made me really antsy to move into our new house. Then, we moved right before we left for the summer to go to Dallas. When we returned, I finally got to begin decorating our home. I've spent the last month doing just that and it really does feel like home. I can't wait to share some pictures with you! I've been having fun finding bargains to fill in the gaps. I've had amazing luck! Here are some projects/bargain finds that have made our home a little more, well, homey. 

- Our great friend, Blake, actually built us a kitchen shelf out of pallet wood. This was the piece I was waiting for. I organized everything else around the fact that I wanted to display my dishes. They're just so beautiful and I love the rustic/industrial look it gives the kitchen when dishes/pots/pans are on display. I just said that I needed a shelf and Blake was on it. We painted it Valspar's "London Coach" and it was good to go. 

- I needed something to hold my magazines. I knew I wanted it to be something more exciting than just another old basket. I found a vintage fruit crate at a "Repurposed Soul" event and snagged it for the magazines. The best news is, all the profit that Repuroposed Soul makes off their merchandise goes to support "Waves a Mercy," a mission organization in Haiti. Check them out on Facebook if you get a chance. Their stuff is phenomenal and popular around where we live. 

- Jute Rug. I was looking for a good, durable, neutral rug to hang out in the kitchen. I looked all summer in Dallas and just couldn't find the right one. I finally found a jute jewel at Marshall's in Nicholasville. I knew it was *the one.*

- Napkin Rings. I've been looking for at least a year for good napkin rings. I didn't want normal silver or beaded rings, although there's definitely nothing wrong with those. I just wanted something unique -- something that would fit in nicely in my home. I found numbered napkin rings (1-12) and couldn't resist getting them. After all, they were only $5 (originally retailed at $20) from the Crate and Barrel Outlet in Dallas. 

- Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote Duo. I've been waiting to do this project since March. I found it on Pinterest, all credit due to Chelsea at ohmydeerhandmades.com. I finally got around to doing it. Thanks to Hobby Lobby and their awesome discounts this project was around $8. 

- Dipped wooden vases. I've been looking for some inspiration for my downstairs bathroom. A bathroom is a bathroom is a bathroom, right? Wrong. This is our guest bathroom. It needs some TLC. These dipped wooden vases serve as inspiration pieces as I begin the bathroom as my next decor project. They were an amazing bargain. Originally retailed at $40 and $30, I got them both for $12 from Kohls with Kohl's cash from my mom. Perfect. 

-Gold dipped feathers. These beauties were a must. I've seen them around on Pinterest and knew my home needed them. They literally cost $2 to make and they're such a statement. I made gold feather garland out of them and hung them above my gallery shelf in the living room. They're fun and classy and they bring out the gold in our frame. What can I say, I love them. 

-Wine bottles. These weren't a new project but I must mention them. Old bottles make really awesome and unique taper holders. Really, the tapers fit right in. A great way to upcycle!

Whew! That's a lot. But, I've loved every second of it. I've also discovered that my taste is a lot more modern than I choose to believe. I often think of myself as a shabby chic type of girl, but this house is anything but shabby chic. Much more classic and modern. So, I've even learned a lot about myself and my design style along the way. Well, enough of my ramblings. Enjoy some pictures!