Recipe - Easy and Yummy!!

I always wanted to make my own tortillas but for some reason never did. Maybe I thought it would be more difficult or take a lot of time or, or, or - who knows what I was thinking! Anyway, taco night is a huge hit in this house and it's difficult to find organic tortillas and when you do they are usually so expensive. I finally decided to pull out this recipe that I've had forever and give making tortillas a try. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? It was simple, less expensive than even the regular packs of tortillas I end up buying and so delicious! I apologize to the author of this recipe, I can't remember where I got it from but I thank you. Here is the recipe, I inserted my notes in a different color text followed by a few pictures from my first time. I made these on a non-taco night just in case I messed them up. We tried them with many different things. I made 24 small tortillas with this recipe late afternoon and they were gone by noon the next day. We did have them again and that time they made it to taco night. I've also made home made corn tortillas recently, huevos rancheros anyone?

• 4 cups white or whole wheat flour or half each (I use Bob's Red Mill Organic)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I use Kosher)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (optional but I use it)
• 1/3 cup shortening (I use Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)
  
• Waxed Paper (I didn't use/do this part)
  

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder. I prefer to use the baking powder because it makes the tortillas lighter, even if you roll them a little thick. The baking powder is not an authentic addition though, rather it is a southern mutation. Next cut in the shortening with a fork. When the flour is crumbly, add the water. Stir the dough with your fork until it makes a cohesive ball of dough. You may need to add an extra small spoonful of water if the dough is too dry. Be careful not to add too much though. When the dough forms a ball, knead it about 20 times. Then let it rest in the bowl for about 10 minutes. I do all of these steps in my Kitchen Aid mixer, even the kneading. After it has rested, form it into 10 or 12 equal balls. I made 24 smaller ones instead since we weren't using them for tacos that night. Roll each ball in a little flour, to coat the outside of it evenly. Place a ball of dough on a sheet of waxed paper, or a clean, well floured surface. Roll the dough out into a a 6 or 7-inch circle. Try to get it as thin as you can. Loosen the tortilla from the rolling surface. Flop it onto a dry, hot skillet. Cook about 30 seconds, until the under side is dry, with a few brown spots. Flip it and cook the other side the same way. Transfer the cooked tortilla to a plate, and cook the next one. This goes pretty fast after you get the hang of it. You can roll out all of the tortillas first, in one stage, and then cook them all in the second stage. After you practice it some, the whole procedure takes less than 20 minutes, and the tortillas are sooo good. Use them the same way you would store-bought tortillas: burritos, soft tacos, etc. Homemade tortillas are not as flexible as store-bought tortillas. To make them more flexible, place them in a plastic bag while still warm, and let them cool right there in the bag. The steam will make them more pliable, and easier to roll up into fancy burrito shapes. This recipe makes about a dozen big tortillas or 24 small.

I can get the small ones rolled out to about 6 inches. The larger ones I've made since are upwards of 10 to 12 inches.

Fist side is done and looking good! I found that fewer brown spots make them even more flexible in the end.

Steaming and cooling in a Ziploc bag, not many got to stay in there until they were completely cool.

Waiting for the dry hot pan.

The boys and I found that a warm tortilla, with a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar makes a super tasty treat! Peanut butter, ham & cheese, hummus, plain - all delicious!