Homemade Tortillas With A Side Of Ramblings...

I know... I know... It's been a while since I have been keeping up with this blog on a regular basis. I have finally made it to full term in my pregnancy & can say with great relief that I am now FOUR days away from my due date! YAY! It's been a looooong pregnancy & I've felt pretty bad physically through the entire thing, which has been limiting my attention span & energy levels significantly, especially the last several weeks. Although I've missed keeping up with my personal blog reading & the updating of my own blog, it has been one of the things that has had to be put on the back burner. BUT... I plan to make a triumphant (haha) return in full force after the baby arrives & I get in a normal routine again. Until then, you can expect some random updates in random time frames from me for another several weeks. OK, enough of the ramblings! BRING ON THE RECIPE!

These tortilla's are GREAT! Although they are not considered traditional, they are light, fluffy & definitely a crowd pleaser in my home. These tortillas are not as thin & flexible as store bought. They have more of the texture of a Taco Bell "Chalupa", but aren't quite as thick. They can be used in any recipe from fajitas to quesadillas. I like to use leftover tortillas for breakfast wraps, too. They will store in the fridge for up to a week & can be stored in the freezer for a month. I hope you & your family enjoy them as much as mine did!

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS
Ingredients:
* 4 cups white or whole wheat flour (I like to use half & half)
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons of sugar (optional - helps bring out wheat flavor)
* 1/3 cup shortening
* 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of water

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar (optional) and baking powder.
2. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredient using a knife or fork. The flour mixture should become "crumbly".
3. Next, add the water a 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough forms into a ball. You may need to add a little more or less water depending on the humidity of your home.
4. Knead dough 15-20 times, then let it rest in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
5. Form the dough into 10 or 12 equal size smaller balls, then roll in a bit of flour to coat each ball evenly.
6. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a well floured surface into 6-7 inch thin rounds. Roll out each ball using this method.
7. In a hot, DRY griddle or pan, cook tortilla. You will know it's time to flip it over when the dough becomes fluffy & has some brown cooked areas on the underside.
8. Stuff with your favorite fillings & ENJOY!