Stockpiler's Soup

[Spirit Deer]

Thanks! I'm especially interested in the one using oil. Will have to try that when the homemade mix I made up is gone, which won't be long the way we go through tortillas.

I'm going to experiment with wheat tortillas, too.

[zakity]

I have made them with whole wheat. They came out ok. My guys prefer regular crappy white flour.

[marlas1too]

did this yesterday
breakfast-caned sausage and powdered eggs with biscuits
lunch caned soup and crackers
dinner caned ham,rice and greens,caned carrots and pudding
all from the pantry

[Spirit Deer]

I'll try a mix of whole wheat and white, or maybe white whole wheat.

I should throw in some herbs sometime, too.

I'm just glad I'm finally getting into making them instead of buying them. I didn't realize, till lately when I saw the tortilla mix I had bought was outdated by four years, that I had bought my tortilla press so long ago and not used it much. Time goes by so fast. And then there was the last emergency purchase of tortillas a few weeks ago. They were over $5 for a bag of 24! Crazy time! So I'm determined to get good at making them, and keep them on hand in the freezer like I normally would do with the store-bought ones.

I just wish I could get them thinner. I can press them really thin, but they shrink in diameter when I peel them off the plastic to put on the griddle. They still taste good but they're easier to roll if they're thinner, and fewer calories per square inch, too.

[mh3rdwheel]

The first one is the one from my friend, the others are for the "how to do them" because she was showing me how to make them and I couldn't write anything down. My notes are the only ones that are noted as mine. The other notes are someone else's.


tortillas

7 1/2 cupsish of flour
1/2 cupish of shortening
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 teaspoonish of salt
2 cupsish of warm water - luke warmish (added bit by bit)


Put the flour, shortening, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add in a little water and mix by hand. Keep adding water in bit by bit until dough texture is a bit sticky, but it doesn't stick to your hands.

Shape into little balls. Shape into a discus first and then squeeze into the ball shape. Roll out and fry.


zak's side notes: Rolling pin is a palote. Fry in a dry cast iron pan (pancake pans work the best). I don't use baking powder in them. Try them with bacon grease. Oh my! They are heavenly!




Tortillas


2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup shortening or vegetable oil
1/2 cup lukewarm water

Put flour, salt, and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
Mix the shortening or oil into the flour mixture until it forms pea-size balls.
Add the lukewarm water, a little at a time, until the dough is soft and pliable.
On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Place in a bowl, cover with a clean dish towel, and let it "rest" for 30 minutes.
Knead dough and form 8 to 10 balls.
Roll them out as thin and round as possible.
Preheat an ungreased griddle or cast-iron frying pan.
Cook tortillas on griddle one at a time, flipping when a bubble forms (less than a minute).
Put cooked tortillas in a plastic bag until ready to serve, to keep them warm and soft



INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of flour (i used self rising)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup warm water.


DIRECTIONS:

Cream the flour and shortening together (i just used my hands) in a bowl. The orginal recipe says you can add a bit more shortening if it looks "too floury", but since i didnt know what that meant (shoot, the whole thing looked floury to me!), i didnt bother to add more.

THEN, slowly pour in the warm water as you knead with your hands in the bowl. Continue kneading until you get a dough ball (it will be a little sticky). Cover with a cloth and let sit for 20 minutes (this helps the dough be more pliable for the next step).

NEXT... flour a surface and take out your rolling pin (or roller of choice). Break off a golfball sized chunk of dough (slightly bigger for bigger tortillas) and roll into a ball (cover ball with some flour if too sticky). Flatten on the surface and start rolling it out flat.... roll until your circle tortilla is the desired thickness and size. I found that dusting the tortilla with flour helps it not stick to the rolling pin. You can roll out all of your tortillas at once and just pile flat on a plate.

Then using a nonstick griddle, cast iron pan, or large greased frying pan, set at medium heat and fry your tortilla on each side for 1-2 minutes. Theres no exact science - just fry until it looks "done" (with the little browned spots on them and all).

Test your first one or two because i found that if the pan gets TOO hot or if you cook them too long your tortilla will be hard, more like tortilla chips and will break when you bend them.

Pile the cooked tortillas on a plate to cool, then place in a large ziplock bag to store (you can freeze them as well).

I love mexican food, I will have to try it. thanks alot.