|
My family and friends know me also as the “Tortilla Maker”. My mom taught me to cook, but when I married she did not want her mija cooking over a hot grill. She told me to buy them at the store ... the love of a mom. Then i would say: "mama, I know, but they don't taste like yours; I have to make tortillas like yours” ... she would smile and say, “ok mija but you don't have to make all the time, buy them sometimes.“ I would say “bueno mama, I will buy them sometimes.”
(Grandma Irma with husband Mike)
Grandma Irma's Tortillas
- 3 cups of All-purpose flour (I use La Pina or Gold Medal)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 or 4 Tablespoons Crisco shortening
1. Turn on music. It makes cooking so much fun!)
2. Put all dry ingredients into mixing bowl lovingly ... then mix with hands ... now add Crisco and mix with dry ingredients.
3. Add hot water gradually to tortilla mix. Keep adding hot water as until dough forms into a ball. Do not make dough too sticky.
4. Knead dough onto a floured surface. Make about 12 small dough balls as big as your palm.
5. With a rolling pin, roll out each tortilla dough and try and make your tortillas round. Do not get discouraged if you roll out states (my first try at making tortillas was at 17… my father-in-law said it looked like Texas!).
6. Cook each tortilla on ungreased hot griddle for a few seconds (maybe 20, the tortilla will start to puff). Turn to other side, as you will only cook each side very briefly. Wrap each tortilla right away in a clean dishcloth (my mom would put hers in a white cloth) and keep covered until serving time.
7. Tortillas taste great with anything but try it with butter -- it is delicious. My husband always has to have the first one ...i ts a tradition. He says: "everyone stand back, first tortilla is spoken for!” Tortillas fill your home with a good aroma and your family and friends will love them.
(4 year old Irma with little sister Rose)
Refried Chorizo and Beans
- 3 cups of cooked Pinto Beans
- 4 to 5 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- Salt
- Butter
- Chorizo (Mexican Sausage)
1. Put cooked Pinto Beans into hot skillet with about 4 or 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
2. Start mashing beans with masher. As you are refrying the beans, add a little pinch of salt and butter to taste. Butter and the oil make the beans dry and crispy, and that is good! Keep mashing, as they will start to look a little burned.
3. Add cooked Chorizo (Mexican sausage that you have fried on a separate pan) to the beans and continue mashing. If beans become too dry, add a little more oil or more butter.
4. f you’re doing this right, you should be pretty tired of mashing by now, but you will be rewarded with lots of love from all your friends and family. You can make a good tortilla burrito with these refried beans, just roll them out on your homemade tortilla add chili to taste. Now aren’t you proud of what you just did?...you lovingly mashed beans maybe made homemade tortillas...you are a special person! Enjoy!
(Father Francisco, Mother Maria, 6 year old brother Ray,
4 year old Irma and 2 year old sister Rose)
Sopa (Spanish Rice)
- 2 cups white rice
- About 4 tablespoons of corn or vegetable oil
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- dash of chicken bouillon powder
- 1 or 2 teaspoons of cumin powder (cumin seeds are fine in place of powder)
- 1 cup Picante sauce (I like the medium or hot sauce. You may substitute enchilada sauce or El Pato tomato sauce in its place...they are also a bit spicy.)
- 2 or 3 long green onions cut into 3 or 4 pieces
- About 1 cup of peas
- About 1 cup of chopped carrots
1. In a medium saucepan, add oil and warm.
2. Add white rice and stir until rice turns (toasts) a medium brown
3. Add the water, salt, bouillon, onions, cumin, peas, carrots, and lastly add the Picante sauce.
4. Bring all ingredients to a boil, then lower flame to low to medium heat. Cover saucepan and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then turn off heat and keep covered.
5. Leave covered for about another 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Steam will continue cooking rice. Enjoy!
"Always be proud of who you are, where you came from,
and look forward to where you are going"
- Irma Rodriguez Contreras
|
