Rinse and de-stem 2-3 plum tomatoes. Roast them in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, ½ small onion, 1 peeled garlic clove, 1-2 chipotles in adobo, and a pinch of salt into a blender. Blend and taste for heat.

Start with one chipotle for a milder version, adding more if desired.

Mash up 1 cup of refried beans in a skillet over medium heat.

Finely chop ½ small onion (or ¼ larger onion) and sweat it in some oil over medium heat.

Add 1 lb of ground beef and cook until browned. Drain any fat if desired.

Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30-60 seconds.

Add 1-2 diced chipotles in adobo, 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon chile powder (optional), ¼ teaspoon cumin, 2-3 teaspoons Mexican oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a splash of water. Mix well over medium heat.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary, then turn heat down to low.

Warm up tostada shells if using store-bought. For homemade, rub a thin layer of oil on each side of corn tortillas and bake at 400F for 4-5 minutes per side until crispy.

Slice up ¼ head of green cabbage and toss it with juice from a single lime and a pinch of salt.

Load each tostada with a thin layer of refried beans, plenty of ground beef mixture, a few spoonfuls of tomato chipotle salsa, cabbage, cheese, cilantro, a drizzle of crema, and a squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately and enjoy!