1.   At Mexican food places, ask for plain corn tortillas with your hot sauce instead of the fried tortilla chips usually served before the main course.

2.   A bushel of red tomatoes may inspire a big batch of tortilla soup that you garnish with fried tortilla strips, lime wedges, cilantro and avocado.

3.   But the end result is hearty, thick with tomato and garnished with fresh cheese, avocados, strips of chicken breast and crispy fried tortillas.

4.   Garnish with fried tortillas and, if desired, cilantro.

5.   If desired, the queso can be garnished with diced tomato, fried tortilla squares, chopped cilantro and pepper.

6.   Lard, sour cream and fried tortilla chips have been banished in favor of vegetable oil, nonfat yogurt and baked tortillas.

7.   Place one of the fried tortilla quarters on top of each serving.

8.   Serve hot, with cilantro, avocado, crema, lime wedges and some extra-crisp fried tortilla chips for adding at the table.

9.   Serve garnished with ranchero cheese and fried tortilla strips.

10.   Shredded beef instead of ground beef is spread not into a huge shell, but on fried tortillas.