Wake Up and Smell the Chilaquiles

Mexico's national breakfast starts with leftover corn tortillas that are bathed in a red or green chili sauce. (Julia Ewan -- The Washington Post)

Refritos (also known as refried beans), canned or homemade (recipe follows)

Red or Green Sauce for Chilaquiles (recipe follows)

1/2 small white onion, very thinly sliced

1 cup crema*

1 1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco or queso anejo* (sometimes called queso seco)

Coarsely chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Shredded Napa cabbage for garnish

Sliced tomato for garnish

Sliced avocado for garnish

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the tortilla chips in a casserole dish or 9-inch square baking dish, cover loosely with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

Heat the refritos, stirring frequently, in a saucepan over low heat. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the sauce just until steaming. Add the warmed tortilla chips and toss until coated with sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 1 minute. Stir in the onion and remove from the heat.

Spoon the sauced chips onto individual plates. Drizzle some crema over each serving, then sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Spoon the refritos on the side and garnish each plate with cabbage, tomato and avocado. Serve immediately.

*NOTES: Crema is a Hispanic version of sour cream. You can find small cans of it on the Spanish food section at larger grocery stores and a variety of plastic containers of crema at Latin American markets. You may substitute sour cream that has been thinned down a little with cream.

Queso fresco, also called queso blanco, is a crumbly, salty, white cheese common in Mexican cooking. It is available in most Latin American markets.

Per serving (approximate, including chips, beans, sauce crema and cheese): 606 calories, 18 gm protein, 65 gm carbohydrates, 32 gm fat, 58 mg cholesterol, 15 gm saturated fat, 1,022 mg sodium, 12 gm dietary fiber

Tortilla Chips for Chilaquiles