And to think I have been buying flour tortillas all these years. What could I possibly have been thinking? OK, obviously I wasn’t thinking! Even after purchasing un-baked flour tortillas at Costco for years that always tasted better and fresher than any flour tortillas I could find at a regular grocery store. The reason of course being that they were frozen raw and only baked at home just before being served.  So, in essence, these un-baked tortillas were fresh. And yet, it never occurred to me to make my own dough?!?! As if it could possibly be terribly difficult to build? Which, BTW, it is not! 5 simple ingredients combined in a stand mixer using a dough hook. Then “baked” (kind of like a pancake) for a couple of minutes. So – incredibly – easy!   

So, now that I’ve made my own flour tortillas, I plan to never go back to buying them either from Costco (I don’t even know if they sell frozen raw tortillas anymore) or from our local grocery store. Purchased tortillas are simply not as delicious as the ones I made a couple of evenings ago. Plus, making my own means I have control over the quality of the ingredients. And there are no unpronounceable ingredients for me to ponder. That too is very important to me.

It all started two mornings ago with me wanting to use 2 ripe avocadoes for guacamole. So, I thought burritos would be fun to serve too. But I didn’t have either flour or corn tortillas on hand. And I really didn’t want Mr. C. to make an unnecessary trip to the grocery store for 1 item. (Pandemic aside, we try to limit our shopping excursions to times when we need products from several stores and can hunt and gather all in one trip.) So, one item, one shop was out of the question. Now, never one to have a menu plan thwarted by a problem so menial as a missing gluten product, I went on-line to see what I could find.

When I discovered this recipe on thecafesucrefarine.com site, I was thrilled. It looked perfect. And I was right. This fabulous recipe produced the most tender and delectable flour tortillas. I wrapped the baked tortillas around seasoned ground beef, re-fried beans, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Then just before I served them, I put a small amount of veggie oil in a pan and browned the burritos so that the tortilla shell would be a bit crunchy. Then I served them with several condiments – sour cream, salsa, chopped tomatoes, chopped lettuce, finely minced red onion, and black olives. Yum! As far as the guacamole part, suffice it to say that when I cut the 2 beautiful avocados open, the flesh was filled with streaky black veins throughout. Yuck! I hate it when that happens. So, into the yard waste container they went. Grrrrrrr So, there was no guacamole on our plates that evening. But the wonderful burritos made up for it. Well, almost!  

So, as always – think outside the box. If someone else can build a “culinary something”, you undoubtedly can too. Or at least you can give it that old college try! If you learn nothing else from me, let it be that regardless of whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or an accomplished cook, if you can read and follow directions, you most certainly will amaze yourself and your family with what you can accomplish. And like anything else, the more you practice your craft, the easier it becomes and the more fun you will have doing it. It’s like that famous old joke.  “A fellow goes to New York to attend a concert but gets lost.  He spots another fellow who’s carrying a violin case.  “Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?”  The musician smiles and says, “Practice, practice, practice.” So, happy cooking everyone. Salud!

Peace and love to all.

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking powder

⅓ c. vegetable oil  

1 c. warm water

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix dry ingredients until well combined.

Add oil and water with mixer running at a low speed. After about 1 minute, or when mixture comes together and begins to form a ball, continue to mix for 1 minute more or until the dough is smooth.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 8-10 equal portions. Turn each piece to coat with flour. Form each piece into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand. Cover flattened balls of dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes (or as much as 2 hours) before proceeding.

After the rest period, heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Roll a dough piece into a very thin rough circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter, while keeping the work surface and rolling pin lightly floured. When the pan is hot, place the dough circle into or onto the pan and allow to cook 45 seconds to 1 minute or until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. If browning too fast, reduce the heat a bit. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few pale golden-brown spots on the underside of tortillas, increase the heat a bit. Using a spatula, flip to other side and cook for 15-20 seconds. The tortillas should be nice and soft but have a few small brown spots on the surface. While the first tortilla bakes, roll out the second so it is ready to bake when the first one is done. Then proceed the same way until all the tortillas are baked.

Note: Don’t be tempted to roll out all the tortillas before starting to bake them. Or if you do, stack the uncooked tortillas separated by parchment paper or you will never get them apart. 

Remove the baked tortilla from pan and stack to help keep the tortillas soft. Promptly place the next tortilla on the pan and let it bake as you roll out the next.

Serve warm or allow to cool for later use. When ready to use, place a slightly damp paper towel in the bottom of a microwave-safe container (with a cover) that will hold the stacked tortillas. Microwave uncovered for 15-30 seconds (start with 15) or until warm, then keep covered to hold heat while serving.

Store in an airtight container or zippered bag at room temperature for 24 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week. To freeze, separate tortillas with waxed paper and place in a zippered bag before placing in the freezer.