Corn Tostada Bowls

The problem with my enchilada recipe is that I end up with over half a bag of corn tortillas left over.  I really wish they were sold by the dozen.  So I decided to turn them into appetizer-sized bowls.

There are tortilla bowl molds out there, but those are kind of uni-taskers.  Odds are you have other equipment in your cabinets that can do the job just as well.  All they need to be is oven-safe.

The procedure and ingredients for this makes the project far easier than I thought it would be.  After the initial experiment to find out what molds I preferred, I made a batch with cinnamon sugar for ice cream.

Side note, I bought frozen diced avocados instead of the expensive and not actually ripe ones at the store.  There was a coupon that made them cheaper than fresh.  They were a touch on the crunchy side, but that may be because they were still slightly frozen when I put them on my tostada.  They're in the fruit part of the freezer section, after exhausting myself looking in the vegetables.  For those who tend to end up in the ER from avocado injuries, this is a decent option.

6" white corn tortillas
vegetable oil
cinnamon sugar for dessert bowls, if desired

1.  Warm tortillas in the microwave.  I did 4 at a time between damp paper towels, at 30 seconds per stack.  This is to soften them so they don't tear while being shaped.

2.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Brush oil to lightly coat both sides.  For sweet bowls, dust inside with cinnamon sugar.  Either drape over an inverted oven-safe ramekin or fold into the crevices of an upside-down muffin pan.  I found that to be a more attractive shape, and the nonstick coating of the pan led to a much easier release.  I had a lot of trouble getting the ceramic ones off, and chipped one.

3.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.  Allow to rest on mold until they stop sizzling and the shape is set, then remove to a cooling rack.  Fill and serve.  The shells can be stored in a sealed container or plastic zipper bag for up to a few days.

Difficulty rating  π