VERY COLD: Turkey Tostadas

Thatbaby learned a new word while we were away - "very."  Now everything is very very hot (soup) or very very cold (the lake).  About that lake...

This trip was originally planned to celebrate TFIL's 80th birthday.  Obviously plans changed and the trip became a kind of memorial.  I'm not sure how long TBIL had been planning his "hike up Mount Hoffman" but a couple weeks ago he mentioned something to Thatboy about how he didn't think TMIL could handle it.   For some reason it seemed weird to me to ditch TMIL on a memorial trip for her recently deceased husband, so I volunteered to stay behind with Thatbaby while the rest of the group did the hike.

The morning of the big hike, TSIL decided to hang with us.  We took two cars and caravanned up to the meadow area of Yosemite.  It was a long drive, and Thatbaby managed to fall asleep shortly before we did a switch.  Thatboy joined his brother, while I took the wheel of our car.  In the process, Thatbaby woke up.  He was not happy.  I will spare you the gory details, but lets put it this way - TMIL had us stop at the very edge of Toulumne Meadow, I think to get out of the car.

He mellowed out once he got out of the car and into the Ergo.  After a bit, he even wanted down so he could hike, run, and draw in the dirt with sticks.

After our meadow hike, we headed over to Tenaya Lake, one of Thatboy's favorite spots in the entire park.  In fact, the plan was to meet up here after they were finished with their hike.  We headed over early to give ourselves lots of time to sun and swim.

Except when we got to the lake, the sun disappeared.  It got cold.  Which is why that lake was very very cold.  I managed to keep Thatbaby out of the water for a while, until he got covered in dirty sand and we went to wash his hands in the water.  Which turned into wading in the water.  Which turned into sitting in the water.

By the time I pulled him out to put on his swim diaper, it had started thundering and lightning. So instead of swimming, we bundled up in towels and watched the sky.  And when the sky opened up and started raining, we headed to the car to wait for our family somewhere warm and dry.

On the way there, we ran into Thatboy and the hiking crew!  Undeterred by the rain, Thatboy wanted in the lake.

I sent our littlest lifeguard to meet him with a dry towel.

Once we got into the car, Thatbaby quickly fell asleep.  I guess very cold water will do that to you.  He slept until dinner.  Which was a Thanksgiving meal for some reason.  Thanksgiving in August.  What will they think of next?  Typically, I like my turkey in a different form in the summer.  Ground, mixed with spices, and served atop a tostada.

I mixed the turkey with crushed tomato for this recipe and Thatboy really liked it.  He felt like it elevated it above the typical taco mix.  And Thatbaby?  He really liked the cheese.  He's probably part mouse.

Turkey Tostadas

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

8 corn tortillas

1 red onion, chopped

3/4 lb ground turkey

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper

1 can pinto beans, drained

sour cream

avocado

cojita cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Pour 2 Tbsp oil on a sheet pan and coat the tortillas with the oil.  Cook for 5 minutes, flip, then cook another 5 minutes until crisp.
2. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the turkey and cook for another 5 minutes, until it's browned.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Make a well in the middle of the turkey and add the beans.  Mash the beans and stir them into the turkey.  Cook until heated through.
6. Top the tortillas with sour cream, turkey, avocado, and cojita cheese.