miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
I love quesadillas--I will have to incorporate that into my menu for next week--after the roasted chicken. And I'm going to make my own tortillas Yay!
Whats for Dinner?
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Dace
Revolution in Progress
North, do you make corn or flour? I have done both but am far from perfecting them! Tortillas are a pain to make.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
During the colder months, I enjoy making tortillas and other things. In summer--I am outside too much but most of the winter is spent in my kitchen. I make flour tortillas, although I would like to make corn ones. I just bought a bag of cornmeal, and I was going to play with it to see what I could come up with.
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- #34
Dace
Revolution in Progress
The corn meal would need to be ground really really fine. You can buy bags of Masa flour at all grocery stores where I am...that is what they use in Mexico. I think it has some added ingredients, not sure but it makes it really easy to mix up...now getting the correct thickness is another story. I even have a tortilla press 
Recently I made thick tortillas, browned them in a little bacon grease, then topped with a fried egg, enchilada sauce and some grated cheese....super yummy!
Recently I made thick tortillas, browned them in a little bacon grease, then topped with a fried egg, enchilada sauce and some grated cheese....super yummy!
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
You mean I can't make corn tortillas form my cornmeal?? Bummer--I will look for masa flour next time. In the meantime, I guess I will make cornbread etc.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
It's sad when you think about it. I will have a teenager in June. To me, it seems like I was a teenager not long ago. 
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Yesterday, I made a garlic focaccia crusted spinach, mushroom & cheese pizza for dinner. DH won't be home from work until midnight, so he's having leftover sausage pasta for dinner. I'm having onion soup.
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
MTN, Corn tortillas are made of corn flour and water. You can't substitute corn meal and get the same results. Corn flour is made from parched corn and slaked lime.miss_thenorth said:
Quaker Oats Company makes Masa Harina, that you may be able to find.
2 cups Masa Harina
1/4 to 1/3 cup water (start with 1/4 cup and add by more by one teaspoonful at a time)
1. Mix the Masa Harina and the water; knead to form your masa. This is your dough. Mix all the Masa Harina with 1/4 cup of the water. You can work it with your hands, if you like. If it seems too dry, add additional water, a teaspoon at a time. Too much water, and you won't be able to peel the plastic off the tortilla; too little and your tortilla will be dry and crumbly. Unlike pastry dough, masa does not suffer from being over-handled.
2. The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a piece of plastic wrap or in a ziploc bag while making your tortillas.
3. Pinch off a golf-ball sized piece of masa and roll it into a ball.
Set the masa on a piece of plastic in the tortilla press; cover with another piece of plastic. Press the masa.
4. Hold the pressed tortilla (with the plastic on both sides) in one hand. Peel away the top plastic from the tortilla (not the tortilla from the plastic). Flip it over into your other hand, and peel away the other piece of plastic. Note: If you don't have a tortilla press, two heavy skillets will work in a pinch.
5. Gently transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry cast iron skillet or griddle. The tortilla should make soft sizzling sound when you do. If your skillet or griddle is at the right temperature, a tortilla can be cooked in no more than 2 minutes.
6. Cook for about 30 seconds on one side; gently turn. Cook for about 60 seconds (it should puff slightly); turn back to the first side
Cook for another 30 seconds on the first side. Remove and keep the tortilla warm until all are prepared.
7. Corn tortillas can be made 2 hours in advance, wrapped and reheated. Bake, in a 350F oven for about 12 minutes.
8. Brown spots on your tortillas are good -- an indication that they are handmade, rather than punched out of a big machine and cooked assembly-line fashion. If your tortillas are not perfect circles, don't worry; they will still taste wonderful.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
Thanks K, definitely on my winter to-do list. We love HM tortillas here,--kids eat them alot for lunches, so I can't wait to try the corn ones. I already put masa flour on my grocery list. 
