Tortilla Time

I love tortillas. As a kid, my cousins and I would place tortillas directly on my Grandmas gas range to heat them up. We'd eat them hot and slathered in butter, it was tortilla heaven. I tried it on my smooth top range..... yeah, not the same. A few years ago, I started making my own tortillas, impressed? Ha ha, don't be; it is shockingly easy. I love to take an afternoon, make a bunch, freeze them, and have tortilla goodness whenever I want it. I'll share my tortilla recipe, and some of my favorite ways to use tortillas. If you don't want to adventure into making your own, that's ok, the recipes will still be fab.



Whole Wheat tortillas (adapted from Everydayfoodstorage.net)

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 + 1/4 heaping tsp. baking powder
1/4 Cup canola oil
2/3 Cup VERY hot water

Mix all ingredients in mixer. Mix until a dough ball forms. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 15 minutes. Uncover and form into balls, a little larger than a golf ball. Cover with damp cloth and let rest 15 minutes to 1 hour. On floured surface, flatten and roll out. Cook on hot griddle, turning once when bubbles form. On the second side, only cook briefly. These cook fast, be careful not to overcook.


Baked Tortilla Chips

Tortillas (I use my wheat recipe)
Pam or another non-stick cooking spray (I like butter flavor.)
Spice of your choice- I like garlic blends like Johns spice.


Preheat oven to 350. Place 2 tortillas on top of one another. Using pizza cutter, cut the tortillas in half vertically, then in half horizontally, then cut each quarter in half again. You should now have 8 wedges per tortilla. Continue until you have as many as you want. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Arrange tortillas wedges on cookie sheet, do not overlap. Spray tortillas evenly with non-stick spray, then sprinkle with spice of choice. I sprinkle liberally. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container.



Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips with Fruit Salsa

*Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips:

Prepare tortilla chips the same as above, but instead GENEROUSLY sprinkle cinnamon sugar. I also turn chips over, spray, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the other side. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.


* Fruit Salsa (adapted from Worldwide Ward Cookbook)

3 kiwis peeled and diced
2 firm apples peeled and diced
1 lb fresh or frozen strawberries, diced (thawed)
1 small pkg. fresh or frozen rasperies (thawed)
2 TBS granulated sugar
1 TBS brown sugar
4 TBS fruit preserves, I like peach

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Cover and chill in for at least 20 minutes.


Heidi and Daves Most Amazing Enchilada Sauce- adapted from Americas Test Kitchen.

1 TBS. canola oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 TBS. chili powder (depending on spice prefrence)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp sugar
1/2 Cup water
2 (8) ounce cans tomato sauce
pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and salt, cook until softened. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and sugar. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Breing to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. makes about 2 1/2 cups. Can be doubled.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

2 or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 batch Heidi and Daves enchilada sauce
10 medium size tortillas (I use my wheat recipe!)

Heat oven to 350. Mix the chicken, black beans and half of enchilada sauce. Warm tortillas on paper towel covered plate in microwave for 30 seconds. Place chicken mixture in tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, then roll up. Place seem side down in greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over tortillas. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until bubbling.


Baked Chicken and Black Bean Nachos

1 recipe baked tortilla chips
1 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Fat free sour cream (I like the one that looks like a cow.)
Guacamole

Heat oven to broiler mode. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Pile chips onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle cheese evenly. Then sprinkle chicken and black beans, sprinkle a little more cheese. Broil, watching carefully, until cheese melts and is bubbly. Take out, top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.