Super easy to make homemade tortillas.

The other day I was trying to decide what to make for dinner and saw a recipe that suggested you make your own tortillas. WHAT?! But, it's so easy to just tear off that little strip of plastic, open the ziploc bag and reach my hands in and grab out a tortilla. You have to take my word for it that this recipe is so easy and soo much better tasting than store bought! I ended up making fajitas and thought the tortillas seemed a little more like flatbread, but I think I just didn't roll them out thin enough. I had read horror stories of people rolling them too thin and then they turned out like a saltine. I didn't want that. So tonight I made then again and rolled them a smidge thinner and they turned out perfect. Want to see for yourself?

Homemade Tortillas
*This recipe is so easy I have it memorized. I have only made it two times!

3 cups of all purpose flour (or any type of your favorite flour will do)
5 T lard or shortening (I had butter flavor Crisco on hand and it worked great.)
1t salt
1/2 - 3/4 c warm water

1. Put 2 3/4 cup flour into mixing bowl (I used my KitchenAid stand mixer).
2. Cut in lard/shortening.
3. Blend with pastry blender or your hands. (Since I used my stand mixer I used the whisk attachment to do this for me. Start out on a slower speed and work your way up until you get a little flour cloud going!) You want the lard/shortening to be very very small. Not like when making a pie crust. You can also use a food processor to do all of this.
4. Dissolve the salt in the warm water. Switch out the whisk attachment for the dough hook. Add water to the flour. Knead the dough either by hand or in my case using the dough hook for 5 minutes or until it comes together. It should be firm. Not soft and tacky like bread dough. It shouldn't be dry, though. If your dough seems to be on the dry side add a teaspoon of water at a time until it is the right consistency.
5. Divide your dough into 8 - 10 equal parts. Roll into balls. They will be about the size of a golf ball. Place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest on the counter for 30 - 60 minutes. The longer the better.
6. After they have rested heat a large heavy duty frying pan or cast iron skillet on medium high heat. While the pan is heating use remaining flour to dust your counter. I used a silicone mat. Grab one ball of dough and start rolling it out with a rolling pin. If you don't have one you can just use your hands. It will give your tortillas a real rustic homemade look. Try to rotate your dough a partial turn every time you are done rolling a section. This will keep it uniforn. Unless you don't mind. I know your stomach won't mind! Roll to about an 1/8 of an inch.

7. Place directly in the pan. No greasing required. You will get those perfect little brown spots just like the ones from the store. Cook 30 - 45 seconds on each side. You will know it's ready to flip when it gets all of these little air bubbles happening all over. The first one might be your trial run. Maybe they need to be rolled thinner or thicker. Maybe cooked less or longer.

8.  Look what you just made! Way to go. Doesn't that look good?

Now go and enjoy your awesomely rewarding, very cheap to make and super yummy to eat tortillas. Trust me, this was a great feeling. Like tortillas aren't supposed to be made at home or something. Everyone will say you made what?! Really?!  And they will have no idea how easy it was. Throw some flour in your hair and and ask for an glass of ice water. Hee hee. Really milk this one. With a few extra we had leftover the first time around we buttered them and sprinkled a mixture of cinnamon and sugar on them. Rolled them up and microwaved them for a bit. Tasted just like a Churro. Mmm. Just a thought. :)