For Katie:

(and because I am avoiding answering a question on "how good are our chapter transitions?" Aw, man, I don't know - better than most, but not as good as some? Does that count?)

How to make homemade tortillas (for one person).

(No, it does not involve feet!)

This recipe makes about 3, 8-10" diameter tortillas. It's easy to increase to make more.

You need:

3/4 cup flour. I just use unbleached white bread flour but you can also mix half white half whole-wheat, which I am told is more authentic to the type of tortillas the SW Native Americans make.

1/4 salt, or a skootch more (I usually use a bit more)

2-3 tablespoons of good light olive oil.

Mix the above, then add 1/4 cup of lukewarm water.

Turn out on a board and knead for 3-5 minutes (5 makes the best tortillas). It can be hard to knead such a small amount of dough; I usually wind up "squeezing" it back and forth between my hands.

Let the dough rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Break the dough into three pieces, and roll each piece out with a rolling pin. (It would be more traditional to just "pat" the tortilla into shape like the abuelitas do, but I don't have that skill).

While you're rolling, heat a (dry) skillet over med-high heat. Or heat your handy-dandy electric fry pan to about 350.

Cook the tortillas one at a time, about 40-50 seconds per side. They will puff up on the skillet and get little brown patches ("bubbles") on the underside when that side is done. Eat while still warm. (I don't know how they are leftover; I never have leftover tortillas.)

There are also some recipes I've seen that call for baking powder. It seems an unnecessary complication to me but it might make a lighter tortilla - but then again, I sometimes find that things I make with baking powder develop what I detect as a slight "chemical" or "metallic" taste so I prefer to leave it out.

As I said, this can successfully double or triple or whatever. Three tortillas are plenty filling for one (somewhat gluttonous) person, they would probably work for two more abstemious souls or for a parent and child eating together.

I also made picadillo (a Bolivian meat-and-vegetables dish sort of like chili) last night to eat with the tortillas.

Homemade tortillas really ARE good; I find them enough-better than the best grocery store varieties to make it worth the time and slight mess of making them. (Also, I know mine contain no Trans Fats or other nutritionally-scary things).