Tostadas -- adding crunch to lunch!

I recently felt the need to break out of our salad or wrap or sandwich or soup lunch rut and try something new. Wandering down the ethnic food aisle at WalMart I saw a woman nudging her husband to reach up on the top shelf for a package of Tostadas -- crisp corn tortilla rounds. Once they moved away I stood on my tippy toes and snatched my own.

What a revelation!  Oh, I've had tostadas before --my first way back in the early '70's while visiting Mexico. On a road trip with my host family we pulled into a dusty gas station and everyone headed for the cashier. There on the counter was a tray of tostadas. I don't remember the ingredients, but I do remember the mix of flavors and the crispiness of the shell. Even though I have enjoyed them in restaurants ever since, I have never made them for myself or my family.  Boy have we been missing out. The tostadas have proven to be the perfect vehicle for serving leftovers in a new fashion, adding some crunch to lunch!

Here are some of the ways we have enjoyed them:

Traditional: A smear of warm refried beans, a layer of shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes and green onions,  salsa, shredded cheese, shredded cabbage

Middle Eastern:Warmed cooked  lentils, sliced or shredded chicken, crumbled feta, tomatoes, onions, chopped kalamata olives, shredded lettuce

Pescetarian: Thin layer of Artichoke-Parmesan dip, canned salmon (or tuna), chopped tomatoes and green onions, shredded lettuce or cabbage

BBQ: Thin layer of BBQ sauce, pork (sliced or shredded), sliced onion, shredded cheddar, coleslaw (dressed or undressed)

Spicy Vegetarian: Smear of Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dip (from Costco), assorted chopped vegies, crumbled feta, shredded lettuce

The possibilities are endless. All you need is something "wet" to act like glue on the bottom and then start the layering. A delicious and different way to use leftovers, an easy way to get your vegies,  -- and a fun interactive meal, be it lunch or dinner . Just line up what you've got in the fridge and let the family do it themselves.

Florida Fish Dip

The menu of just about every restaurant we have visited in Florida features their own version of Fish Dip. It was love at first taste: Smoked fish mixed with cream cheese and mayo or sour cream then seasoned with a spicy kick and a sprinkle of lime juice. The fish might be Amberjack, mullet, marlin, kingfish, or whitefish. It is often served with Cuban Crackers -- a hefty, somewhat bland cracker that provides the perfect vehicle to move the dip from dish to mouth. It is said that south Florida used to be thick with sheds where fishermen smoked their catch and sold dip. I just saw one yesterday as we rode the trolley to the beach. So, here it is, a taste of Florida no matter where you live.... Florida Fish Dip 1/2 lb Smoked Fish (whatever you can find), chopped 4 ounces cream cheese (regular or neufchatel), softened 2 TBSP mayo or sour cream Old Bay Seasoning,to taste, up to 1 TBL 1/2 Lime, juiced (slice remaining half into wedges) Combine all ingredients -- use food processor or hand mixer. You want a smooth, almost whipped, consistency. Serve with crackers, Cuban or saltines. Squeeze reserved lime wedges over top, to taste. A Dark 'n Stormy goes well too!

Naked MahiMahi

Before we left Fernandina Beach on Monday morning I ran up on shore to the dockside Atlantic Seafood. They were just getting organized for the day, in fact their cases were bare, but I was able to purchase a 1.6 lb MahiMahi filet. It was beautiful.

When dinner rolled around I looked up a few recipes on the iPad, and then went back to my basic theory about fish: Fresh, I mean really fresh - caught in the last 24 hours - fish needs nothing more than sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime juice. So that's what I did. It was dark and I was too lazy to grill it on the upper deck, so instead I cooked on the cast iron galley grill. It was still fabulous: tasting like the ocean, with a squeeze of lime.

Sorry, I was so anxious to sit down and eat that I forgot to take a photo.....