I used to be daunted by the prospect of making my own tortillas - I figured it would be complicated, possibly messy and most likely not very tasty.

Well, folks, I’m here to tell you that you need not fear; homemade corn tortillas are simple and delicious with the added bonus of being incredibly cheap, and I’m going to take you through the process step by step.

**Full Disclaimer: The first time you make these may be a bit slow-going but it won’t take long to develop a rhythm- before you know it, you’ll be an old pro.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Materials

Amounts will vary based on how many tortillas you want to make; I usually make 16 & follow the amounts listed on the back of the masa bag which are:

• 2 cups masa
• 1.25 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Methods

1. Combine all ingredients to form large balls. Divide into 16 balls.
2. Lay a damp towel over dough balls so they don’t dry out.
3. Heat a pan/skillet to medium-high heat.
4. Now, you can either use a handy dandy tortilla press or a simple rolling pin. We’ll start with the press. Open the press, rub several drops of water over both top and bottom surface and then place cling wrap on each side. Smooth the cling wrap, ensuring that it’s well-adhered.
5. Place a ball in the tortilla press, slightly back of center. Press down to completely flatten the ball, then slowly open up. Use a spatula to gently remove the tortilla and transfer to pan.
6. Cook the tortilla for ~50 seconds on each side and remove. Repeat with remaining tortillas. I usually have 2 tortillas cooking at once to save time.
7. If you don’t have a press - no worries. Spread a few drops of water on the counter and then lay down some cling wrap, smoothing out the wrinkles and making sure it’s well-adhered. Place your dough ball in the center and cover with another piece of cling wrap. Use a rolling pin to flatten the ball into a tortilla. Remove the cling wrap and use a spatula to transfer the tortilla to a pan.Note: As you progress through rolling out the dough balls, some may dry out. Simply work a few drops of water into the dough ball.
8. Store your tortillas wrapped up in a cloth napkin either in a covered container or ziplock bag.

Results & Conclusions

Mmm…light and airy tortillas, perfect for making BBC tacos or holding sauteed bananas drizzled with a little chocolate or peanut butter.

The possibilities are endless but watch out- these bad boys won’t last long

This weekend we had a backyard get-together to celebrate several big events amongst our circle of friends: a successful PhD defense, a birthday & a new job (that last one is for me!)

It took me all of 2 seconds to decide what to serve. Tacos are not only a crowd-pleaser but also, once served, they require no utensils. Less dishes to clean = more time to spend enjoying the company of my lovely friends.

One of my favorite renditions of black beans is a spin-off of beer-glazed black beans from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Add in some cabbage and you have BBC tacos (Beer, Beans & Cabbage).

BBC Tacos

Makes ~4 servings

Materials

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• 3 cups black beans
• olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 cup beer
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• chopped purple cabbage (as much as you want)

Methods

1. Add onion to pan heated with several tablespoons of olive oil. Cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
2. Add in garlic & cook for 1 minute; then, add in cumin seeds & cook for 1 more minute. Try not to notice how much the cumin seeds resemble small insects.
3. Add black beans, beer, molasses, key lime juice, chili powder, chipotle powder & coriander.
4. Cook at a gentle bubble (medium-med.low heat) for ~15 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
5. Plate up: serve in warm corn tortillas, topped with purple cabbage & ginger-dill sauce*.

*recipe coming tomorrow!

Results & Conclusions

These tacos have a spicy kick that really brings out a rich combination of flavors. Cabbage provides a light, refreshing crunch and a perfect base for ginger dill sauce.

These tacos come together quickly and taste even better the next day, so make sure to save some for tomorrow’s lunch!