Flour Tortillas

I love tortillas. I use them to make tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, and the occasional experiment. I hide them behind the flour at home.

No one in my family would eat them plain, so I'm not sure why I hide them, but I do.

How often do I eat them plain?

Never, until today.

I'm not big on recipes that require time to rise or "rest". Having two kids means nothing ever gets done as planned. So I need kid-proof recipes if I'm going to make it more than once. This recipe fits the bill.

Don't worry too much about the timing. I messed it up. The first rest was too short, the second one too long.

Anna spilled apple juice on my kneading surface. And I didn't realize it till I was half done kneading. And they still turned out good.

(Note: These are slightly thicker tortillas. From what I can tell, true Mexican tortillas are thin and true Texan tortillas are thicker.)

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Store

Taste: Home

Health: Home

Overall:

Homemade wins. They tasted so much more "authentic" and enhanced the flavor of the rest of the food. However, these tortillas are best used for Mexican meals like tacos. They did not work as well for quesadillas since they are thicker and seemed to burn before the contents fully melted. The first time I made these tortillas it took me awhile. After a few more tries, I think I could do it quite quickly. I'll definitely be making these regularly - if I remember to start them an hour before the meal.

Texan Flour Tortillas (makes 8, 50 min)

2 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp oil

3/4 c warm milk

1. Combine dry ingredients. Add oil. Mix.

2. Add warm milk slowly and mix until ball forms.

3. Knead for 2 minutes on floured surface.

4. Place dough in bowl, cover with damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 min.

5. Break dough off and roll into 8 balls. Place balls on a plate, not touching. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap for 10 min.

6. One at a time, place balls on floured surface. Press into 4-inch circles with your fingers. Then use a rolling pin to roll into 8 inch circles. Keep tortillas covered until ready to cook.

7. Heat iron skillet on high. Cook tortilla about 30 seconds on each side. It should start to puff when it's done.

Keep tortillas wrapped in napkins or in ziploc bag until ready to eat.

Notes:

*You can heat milk on the stove. Or to save time, money, and dishes, just add warm water to powdered milk.

*If your dough is too elastic, you didn't let it rest long enough. I left my balls rest for 45 minutes instead of 10 while we went outside. They turned out just fine.

*Can be stored in refrigerator for a couple days

My inspiration

Whole wheat tortillas soon to come...