Chicken Roulades with Sage and Bacon

I haven't posted any recipes in a while, so here's one for your weekend enjoyment! I adapted this from a recipe in The Silver Spoon.

Chicken Roulades with Sage and Bacon

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage*
8 strips bacon
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Cut each chicken breast in half, then pound to about 1/2" thick (place the chicken inside a plastic bag or between two sheets of wax paper to keep from splattering). Lightly sprinkle sage on one side of each chicken breast half; season with salt and pepper. Roll up each piece of chicken, and wrap one slice of bacon around each roll. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the roulades in the skillet so that the ends of the bacon are on the bottom. Cook, turning every 2 minutes, until browned all over. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, adding 1 tbsp hot water if skillet gets too dry.

*The sage has a strong taste; sprinkle sparsely, as you need less than you think. You might need slightly less or more than 1/2 tsp.

Roasted Vegetable Soup & Salad

We served this meal to friends recently, and it was a hit.

Spinach Salad with Roasted Fall Vegetables

for the roasted vegetables

• 1 medium squash (I've used butternut or acorn squash; butternut is much easier to peel! I think yams would work well, too.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
• 1-2 baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces (you could also use 1-2 lb new potatoes, halved or quartered)
• 1 onion (I like red), peeled and quartered
• 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 450F. Divide vegetables between two rimmed baking sheets; toss with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast 40-50 minutes, tossing vegetables and rotating baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through cooking time. Let cool to room temperature.

for the dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

Whisk all ingredients to combine.

to assemble the salad
Toss 1 lb baby spinach in dressing. Place spinach on plates, then top with roasted vegetables and cheese, if desired (feta or goat cheese work really well).

Roasted Vegetable Soup

• 6 beefsteak tomatoes, halved and cored
• 2 leeks, rinsed well, white and pale green parts cut int 1/2" pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4" pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper
• about 30 oz vegetable broth (2 cans or one carton)

Preheat oven to 425F. In a roasting pan, toss vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer (tomatoes cut side down) for 1 hour. Use tongs to peel off tomato skins. In a large saucepan, bring vegetables, broth, and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (or in batches in a stand blender). Serve hot; can be topped with fresh basil or Parmesan.

We like this meal with a good crusty bread. I roasted the vegetables for the salad first, then roasted the vegetables for the soup while the salad veggies cooled; the oven kept the kitchen toasty warm on a cold fall day! It makes a great meal for those with allergies or dietary restrictions (no dairy, egg, soy, etc.; just watch the ingredients on the broth, and leave the cheese off the salad). Enjoy!

BooMama Heard My Cry!

Well, I guess it probably wasn't really a response to my request for crockpot recipes. But...

BooMama is hosting a Souptacular Crockpotalooza today!

I haven't even begun to look through the recipes. Oh, except for the Elton John soup. Because, seriously, how can you resist the urge to click immediately on a link to something called Elton John soup? Anyway, I don't have any contribution to make to the Souptacular Crockpotalooza, but I'm excited to browse through all the links that BooMama is collecting and to find some new meals for our repertoire. You know, when I have time.

Another thing that requires time? Thinking. And blogging requires thinking. And I have no time, so no thinking, and no blogging. I did try to think while staring at a blank "Create Post" window for about 45 minutes yesterday morning. Hmm. Maybe those thoughts will become coherent enough to write soon.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Crockpot Recipes

Fall is in full swing here, and I'm craving cozy comfort food. I want to use my crockpot more, but I have been making the same crockpot recipes for years and I'm ready for some variety. I checked out a slow cooker cookbook from the library, but I'd love to hear your favorite crockpot recipes! Please leave links or full recipes in the comments.

And because I'm a giver and not just a taker, you can find a couple of our favorite crockpot recipes here.

Orange-Avocado Salsa

For the Five-Ingredients-or-Less edition of Works for Me Wednesday, I thought I'd share this orange-avocado salsa, a summer favorite of ours. We like to serve it over grilled chicken breasts with rice, but I bet it would be tasty with fish or pork chops, too.

Orange-Avocado Salsa

1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp honey
2 large navel oranges
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 avocado, pitted and diced*

In a medium bowl, whisk lime juice & honey together. Season w/ salt & pepper (I know, those weren't on the ingredients list, but that would have made for seven ingredients rather than five; shhh!). Set aside.

Cut up the oranges: Slice of both ends of each orange. Following the curve of the fruit, cut away the peel and pith. Quarter the oranges (basically, cut an X lengthwise through the core of the orange, if that makes sense), then lay each half (two of the quartered sections) flat and slice sections 1/4" thick; this will give you a bunch of little orange triangles.

Add orange pieces, onion and avocado to honey-lime mixture. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

*This may be obvious, but here's how I dice an avocado. Use a chef's knife to cut the avocado in half vertically, curving around the pit. Separate the two halves, then whack the pit with your knife (this is why I use my big, nicely weighted chef's knife for this task); twist to remove pit. Now, cut 1/4-1/2" dice into each avocado half, without slicing through the skin. Use a spoon to scoop the dice from the skin of each half. Nice and neat!

Greek Chicken Kebabs

My pal from In Search of Morning Sickness reminded me recently that I haven't posted a recipe in a while. I tried a new recipe recently for Greek kebabs, which ended up not being kebabs because I couldn't find our skewers. So here's my modified version:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces (about 24)
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1" pieces (about 16)
1/2 small red onion, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp white or red wine vinegar, divided
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup fresh mint leaves
salt & pepper

In a resealable plastic bag, combine chicken, zucchini, onion, oil, oregano, and 2 tbsp vinegar; season generously with salt & pepper. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Preheat broiler; place rack 4-6" below heat. Line a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss marinated chicken and vegetables onto prepared pan. Broil, turning at least once, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 min. Meanwhile, make dipping sauce. Blend feta, yogurt, mint, and remaining tbsp vinegar until smooth.* Serve chicken and vegetables over rice, with dipping sauce.

If you can find your skewers, you can thread the chicken, zucchini, and red onion onto them, in alternating fashion, and then grill them for about 15 min.

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I'm going to the New Attitude conference, and I'll resume posting when I get back.

*I used my immersion blender and its handy measuring container accessory for the sauce. I love this tool! If you don't have one, a food processor will work just fine for making the sauce.

Double Chocolate Cookies

What's that you say? You want a super-chocolatey cookie recipe? Well, alright...

Double Chocolate Cookies (makes about 24)

20 oz semisweet chocolate chips, divided
4 tbsp butter
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat 8 oz chocolate chips and butter in a bowl in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Don't skimp on the time beating the eggs and sugar! It makes the difference between thinly spread, crumbly cookies and perfectly round cookies with a soft center and a meringue-like exterior.) Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate mixture. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the remaining 12 oz of chocolate chips. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2-3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12-15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; transfer to racks to cool completely.

Oh, yum.

Mix & Match Quiche

This simple quiche recipe allows me to make a quick dinner with whatever ingredients I have on hand. I usually pair it with a simple salad, or fruit, or cooked broccoli or carrots.

Basic Ingredients
3 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream*
1 prepared pie crust
approx. 1/2 cup cheese, crumbled or grated
1/4 cup diced onion (white, red, or green)
1/4-1/2 cup meat, cooked & cut into small pieces
salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Place pie crust in a 9" pie pan. Whisk eggs with cream; season to taste. Place cheese, onions, and meat in pie shell. Pour egg mixture over top. Fold and pinch edges of pie crust. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until quiche is firm and golden and crust is lightly browned. Slice and serve.

I pretty much always cook and crumble bacon for the meat, but diced ham or sausage or even torn deli meats would work well. You could also add veggies like diced bell pepper, broccoli, or spinach. Two of my favorite combinations are (1) blue cheese, bacon, and green onion; and (2) fresh grated cheddar (the sharper the better!), bacon, white onion, a sprinkling of tarragon, and a dash of nutmeg. (If I use a pungent cheese like blue cheese, I only use about 1/4 cup and I don't add any extra seasoning - not even salt or pepper.) Experiment and enjoy!

*Half & half works fine, too. If you want to use regular milk, I would use an extra egg so that the consistency of the egg mixture is thick enough.

Pork Tenderloin with Onions

My brother is visiting for a week, which means I have a sous chef! We both really enjoy cooking, so we're entertaining ourselves by trying out some new recipes together. In light of these activities (and the fact that having company doesn't leave a whole lot of time for creative blogging thought), I'll try to post a few recipes this week. This pork tenderloin recipe is one I've been meaning to post for months; it's a delicious favorite of ours.

Pork Tenderloin with Onions (serves 4-6)

3 tbsp melted butter, divided*
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced (or crushed through a garlic press)
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper
2 small red onions, cut lengthwise into 1/2" slices (2 cups)
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each)
2 tsp flour
1/4 cup light-colored, flavorful liquid (I use anything from chicken broth to white wine, depending on what I have on hand; I've even used Marsala)
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 450F. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp butter, oil, garlic, thyme, 1 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper. In a roasting pan, toss onions w/ half the butter mixture; push to sides, place pork in center. Rub remaining butter mixture over pork. Roast 20** minutes. Heat broiler; set rack 4" from heat. Broil 10 minutes, or until pork registers 155F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove pork from pan. Whisk flour & 2 tbsp butter in a small bowl; set aside. Place roasting pan w/ onions on stove over medium-high heat. Add water; bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add broth/wine & flour mixture. Cook sauce, stirring, until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. Slice pork, and spoon sauce on top.

*I've substituted olive oil for all of the butter, and that works just fine.
**The original recipe only called for 10 minutes, but I found I needed to double the time for my oven.

How to Make Half a Pumpkin Spice Cake

First, sign up to bring a meal to a couple that just had a baby, but mix up the dates by a week. Rush home to thaw the soup that you cooked and froze previously and to assemble a salad.

Next, disarrange your entire freezer when you remove the soup. For maximum impact, place the plastic bowl of rock-solid soup on the very edge of your counter; that way, it will tip onto the kitchen floor while you wrestle to keep the freezer contents from tumbling out. Now, in your efforts to rearrange the items in the freezer, mimic that same action - the one where you place a bowl of something just a little too close to the edge - using a small glass bowl of leftover pumpkin puree and the freezer shelf. Congratulations! You have conducted a physics experiment that offers TWO educational results: Theorem 1 - The force of gravity has NOT ceased to function. Theorem 2 - Plastic can absorb the energy from an impact with a tile floor, while glass cannot.

Step back and survey the collection on your floor. Pick up the soup, now conveniently loose from its container, and set it to reheat in a pot on the stove. (You will probably need to wash said pot first.) Take the semi-intact jar of pumpkin puree and place it on the counter. Sweep up glass shards.

Check e-mail. Read a note pointing out that you do not, in fact, need to provide a dinner for the new parents tonight. You signed up for next week, you ninny.

Return to the kitchen to turn off the stove and scoop the still-mostly-frozen soup into a resealable bag. Put it back in the freezer; rearrange contents again. Decide to try to redeem the pumpkin puree. Pick it up in the remains of its glass container, then lose your grip and drop it on the floor again. This step ensures that the pumpkin will dislodge from all bits of glass. Rinse off pumpkin, to be sure. Sweep again.

Finally, search for a recipe that requires one (1) cup pumpkin puree. Determine that you have all the ingredients for a pumpkin spice cake, although you will halve it since it calls for a whole can. Call your husband and ask him to pick up cream cheese on the way home from work, for frosting. Eat an extra big slice.

Molasses Cookies

These molasses cookies have become one of my go-to desserts - easy, tasty, made from basic pantry items. They also make an excellent Christmas baked gift, stacked in pretty round circles, a little crackled, a little sparkly with sugar.

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses, until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, about 1 tbsp each. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat. Arrange balls on baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges are just firm, 10-15 min. (If you bake more than one sheet at a time, cookies will not crackle uniformly.) Cool 1 min. on baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

We're leaving for a Christmas visit to Texas tomorrow morning. (Hi, Texans! See you soon!) I've stored up a few Christmas poems, songs, and prayers to post while I'm out of town. I hope you enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I'm serving this sinfully delicious dip at a game night this evening. I make it in my little slow cooker (I have this one - great for dips!).

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
14 oz can artichokes, drained and chopped in food processor
6-10 oz fresh spinach leaves, chopped in food processor

Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until hot and bubbling. Stir well and serve with tortilla chips. (If you prefer a chunkier dip, chop the artichokes and spinach coarsely by hand.

And with that, my friends, I end NaBloPoMo! Sure, I filled up the last week with a dithering lack of true content, but I still did it. My goal - lofty, but perhaps possible - is to post each weekday from now on. We shall see... Thanks for reading along this crazy November!

First Time

Hey, guess what I'm doing right now at 7:54 a.m.?

This! In preparation for tomorrow, when I'll do this! Wish me luck!

Acorn Squash Soup with Kale

So, what do you do with the extra kale after making winter lentil soup? I make this yummy, creamy (and healthy!) acorn squash soup.

2 whole acorn squash (about 2 lbs each)
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion*, diced
1/2 bunch kale, thick stems removed, leaves finely chopped (about 4-8 cups)
salt & pepper

First, prepare a squash puree: preheat oven to 400F and place acorn squash on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, turning occasionally, for 1 hour (should be very tender).** When cool enough to handle, halve each squash; scrape out seeds. Scrape out flesh and process in a food processor until smooth. [I often make the squash puree a couple days ahead of time, then refrigerate until I'm ready to use.] Now, cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Leaving fat in pot, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Add onion to fat in pan; cook until softened (4-5 min.). Add kale; cook until soft (3-4 min.). Add squash puree; add water one cup at a time until you achieve desired consistency [we like this soup kinda thick, so I add 2-3 cups water]. Bring just to a boil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in bacon and serve.

*Last time I made this (as pictured), I didn't have any white/yellow onion, so I used red onion and it tasted just as good - or better!

**Theoretically, you could also microwave the whole squash for 20-25 minutes, or you could use two 12 oz packages of frozen winter squash puree (thawed), but I've always roasted the squash in the oven.

Winter Lentil Soup (Now with Photo!)

The weather has turned cold and crisp, and that means I crave a lot of soup. I'll try to post a few favorite soup recipes this month. This one serves 4-5, but you can easily double it to feed a crowd.

2 leeks, white & light green parts only, rinsed well
1 bunch kale*
1 tbsp olive oil
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
3 cups water
1 sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/2" dice
1/4 cup brown lentils
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
fresh basil leaves (optional)
Parmesan (optional)

Halve each leek lengthwise, then slice into 1/4" thick half-moons (about 1 1/2 cups). Remove the stems from the kale; slice the leaves into 1/2" wide strips (about 1 1/2 cups). Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (undrained) and water and bring to a boil. Stir in the kale, sweet potato, lentils, thyme, salt & pepper. Add basil leaves, if using. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. (If you don't end up with enough broth for all the vegetables, just add more water.) Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan (if using).

*I always have lots of extra kale, so I use the rest of the bunch in another soup recipe.

Guacamole

I'm a big fan of guacamole, and this is the best recipe I've found. We're bringing about a triple batch of this to a party this afternoon, so I thought I'd go ahead and post the recipe today!

4 ripe avocados
2-4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/8-1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime
1 tsp oregano
salt & pepper

Peel & pit avocados; mash in a medium bowl. Add diced tomato, red onion, garlic & oregano. Squeeze lime juice over avocado mixture, season to taste with salt & pepper. Stir and serve immediately.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This chicken enchilada recipe, which I've gradually modified over the years to its current state, is one of our favorites:

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 small can diced green chiles
• 2-3 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend or Colby Jack work well)
• 8-10 flour tortillas (8")
• 1 can of your favorite enchilada sauce
  

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium pot, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cooked chicken, and green chiles. Stir over medium heat until combined and warmed through; remove from heat. Spoon a bit of the mixture (in a line, just off center) onto a tortilla; sprinkle cheese on top of the mixture. Roll up the tortilla and place, seam side down, into a 9x13 baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over the top; spread, if necessary, to cover tortillas completely. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes, until cheese is golden. (If you like a crispier cheese topping, broil enchiladas for a couple minutes at the end of cooking time.)

If I have extra chicken mixture after I've filled all the tortillas, I spread it over the top before I pour on the enchilada sauce. Sometimes I substitute green onions for the green chiles (sprinkle a few green onions on top for a pretty garnish). If I'm serving a larger crowd, I just use an extra can of cream of chicken soup to make more filling.

Mmmm, I'll definitely be making these for dinner tonight!

UP, UP and Away

In just minutes, we're heading up for a weekend getaway to Mackinac Island and the UP (upper peninsula) of Michigan. Yippee!

A few weekends ago, we went apple-picking with family at a local orchard. Here are some photos of Aaron and me, our nephews, and our neice:*



And here is a link to the yummy apple crisp that I made with the apples we picked.

Enjoy your weekend!

*I don't know why this text turned into a hyperlink, and I don't have time to fix it. Oh well...

Pumpkin Bars

A few ladies have requested this recipe* lately. This favorite dessert has lots of yummy fall flavor, but I keep the ingredients on hand year round!

Pumpkin Bars

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 sticks butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (freeze the remaining puree for later use)
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  

Preheat oven to 350F. Line bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan with foil, leaving an overhand on all sides. (Andrea's tip: with your pan upside-down, mold the foil over the bottom, then flip the pan over and drop the foil in.) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, & salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter & sugar; beat in egg & vanilla. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter in pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 min. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan, using foil as an aid. Peel off foil, and cut into squares with a serrated knife.

Yum!

*I'd like to start posting recipes more regularly; I'll aim for once a week.

Southwesty

After about one year of marriage, I discovered a love of cooking. (Before that, we ate a lot of pancakes and pasta for dinner!) I enjoy how a daily necessity can turn into a chance to work with my hands and get a little creative. I try at least one new recipe a month, and if we really like it I add it to a repertoire that I pull from for monthly meal planning. Here are two new additions to our regular dinner rotation, a pair of southwest-style recipes that I adapted from Everyday Food magazine. (If you do not have a subscription to Everyday Food, get one! BEST RECIPES EVER! Easy! Tasty! Really, go subscribe now; I'll wait...) I modified both of these to make them less spicy, because I have the mildest tastebuds ever formed on a human tongue.

Southwestern Corn Chowder (serves 2-4)
1 tbsp butter
1 green onion, thinly sliced, white & green parts separated
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper
1 potato, peeled and diced
10 oz frozen corn
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby, or Monterey Jack)

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add white part of green onion, carrot, cayenne pepper, & oregano; season w/ salt & pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add potato, corn, broth, & milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 15-20 min., until potato is easily pierced w/ the tip of a knife. Divide into bowls, and top w/ remaining green onion and cheese.

Black-Bean Tostadas w/ Corn Relish (serves 4)
2 limes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
10 oz frozen corn
3 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
4 flour tortillas (6-inch)
1 can black beans
1 avocado

In the morning... Squeeze limes into a medium bowl. Add green onions, corn, 1 tbsp oil, salt & pepper; toss to combine. Cover & refrigerate. In the evening... Preheat oven to 475F. Arrange tortillas on a baking sheet (use 2 if needed); brush both sides w/ remaining 2 tbsp oil. Rinse & drain beans; sprinkle over tortillas. Top w/ tomatoes & cheese. Bake until golden & crisp, about 10 min. (If you use 2 baking sheets, rotate them halfway through.) While tostadas are baking, pit, peel & dice avocado; toss w/ corn relish. Top tostadas w/ corn relish.