Menu Plan Monday - Tortillas

Okay ladies, I've decided it's ultra important (to me anyway) to create a menu plan each week and stick to it. On the weeks that I've done that, I've wrestled with my daily duties a lot less and actually enjoyed cooking. My menu plans that I share here each week will only include suppers (dinners is the word for you more genteel folk). Lunches are almost always sandwiches and/or leftovers. As for breakfast, everyone's on their own for cereal, pop tarts, or whatever. So, for this week's menu:

Monday
Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
Frozen Peas (from my garden)
Fresh Garden Salad (Romaine, carrots & boiled eggs)

Tuesday
Baked Ham
Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Applesauce (homemade)

Wednesday
Ham & Beans (using leftover ham from Tuesday supper)
Garden Salad
Homemade Cornmeal Rolls
Cherry Pie

Thursday
Homemade Pizza

Friday
Burritos using Homemade Flour Tortillas * See recipe Below*
Corn

Saturday
Flaxseed Meatloaf
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans

Sunday
On Your Own

I found a great recipe for making homemade flour tortillas and I was so thrilled! Here's how to make them:

Flour Tortillas

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening OR 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (oil is preferable to avoid hydrogenated fats)
1/2 cup warm water
vegetable oil as needed

Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the shortening OR oil and mix well. Gradually add water; working it in to make a soft dough. Knead until springy. Divide the dough into balls of equal size and coat with oil. Cover and allow to rest for 20 or 30 minutes.

Heat a heavy skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium high heat. On a lightly floured board, use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball into a thin circle about 8 inches across.

Place the tortilla on the heated, ungreased skillet. Cook until speckled (about 1 1/2 - 2 min.). Turn over and cook until the underside is speckled. If the tortilla puffs up while cooking, press down lightly with a towel.

Wrap the tortillas in a towel to keep them soft and warm. Makes 12 tortillas.

Here's a recipe for corn tortillas for those who prefer them or are gluten intolerant:

Corn Tortillas

2 cups masa harina (look in the Mexican section of your grocery)
1 1/4 cups warm water

Place the masa harina in a bowl. Gradually work the water into the masa harina, adding more if needed. Mix together well. Knead for 3-5 minutes, pushing hard with the heel of your hand. Keep the dough wrapped while you make the tortillas so it doesn't dry out.

Heat a heavy skillet (use cast iron) over medium high heat. Break off a walnut sized piece of dough and pat it 2 or 3 times to partially flatten. Roll with a rolling pin between two sheets of plastic wrap. The plastic should peel away from the dough rather easily. If the dough cracks at the edges, add more water and knead well. If the dough sticks to the plastic, add a little more masa harina and knead well.

Place the tortilla on the heated ungreased skillet. Cook until the edges begin to dry (about 30 sec.). turn over and cook until lightly speckled on the underside. Turn a second time and cook for 30 sec. more. The total cooking time should be about 2 or 3 minutes, depending upon how thick you rolled the tortillas and the temperature of the pan.

Wrap the tortillas in a towel to keep them soft and warm. Makes 12 tortillas.