Tortilla Meister!

Flour tortillas, that is!

Before I go into my tortilla exploits...

I want to mention that Deborah Jean over at the Dandelion House who has been hosting the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop, has run into some domain-name issues.  Go here to find her at her new address which is now a blogger address!  So, change your link to her!

Okay, now, down to flour!

I figure, if you live in the southwest and don't know how to make flour tortillas from scratch, well that's just not right!  So I've been perfecting my technique and at long last, I've done it!

I'll share my recipe with you, since homemade flour tortillas are far superior to store-bought.  No surprise there!

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder (aluminum free of course!)
2-3 Tablespoons shortening
1 1/3 Cup very hot water (not boiling)

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together (I love to put it all in a plastic margarine tub, put the lid on and shake it all together rather than stirring with a spoon or whatever else!).

Add the shortening (I prefer to do 3 tablespoons with a smidgen more, but no more or else it'll get too doughy) and just mix it in with your fingers till you don't feel any pieces left.

Add water, mix and knead well.  Don't worry if it initially sticks to your fingers, just work it and before you know it it will feel silky, in about 4 to 5 minutes.

Cover and let set for 10 minutes; then knead again and form balls.  This recipe will make 16 tortillas measuring somewhere around 10 inches in diameter.

Remember to keep them covered to avoid drying out.

Take a ball, flour your surface...

...flatten out between your hands...

...and roll out till really thin, but not too thin you can't pick it up...

...and transfer to a plate, keeping them covered.

Preheat a flat grill until really nice and hot.  Don't use any grease.

Then cook each tortilla for almost one minute on the first side...

...then flip it over and cook another 30 seconds to one minute...

When it starts to puff up like this, then it's done...

...transfer to a plate and keep loosely covered.

And behold, a homemade soft taco!

Or a burrito with these larger tortillas!

You know you've succeeded when the tortillas don't break or peel!

It's well worth the practice if you're not a born tortilla meister!

Now if I could just get a good recipe for corn tortillas, I'll be set!

I'm linking to the inimitable Deborah Jean's Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop #17

 
Go get some Farmgirl soul food!

I'm also linking up with the Homestead Revival: Barn Hop #21.

Take a look and find more inspiration than you know what to do with!
I guarantee it!

For My Sister

Happy Birthday!

In honor of my sister's birthday...

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend.

-Cali Rae Turner

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

-Marion C. Garretty

Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.

-Author Unknown

You are my sister, and there's not a thing one you can do about it!!!

-Your Favorite Sis 

(even though I'm your only one!)

You inspire me because you're strong, driven, powerful, confident, successful and full of grace all rolled into one package.  You never forget to LOVE!  And that's what I love about you the most!

Happy Birthday and may God grant thee many more years (for my own sake at least!).

Bees and Whatnots

I am constantly amazed at the sheer numbers of bees in the garden.  The majority appear to be honey bees.  I am positive no one around here keeps any hives.  After reading up on bees and seeing how many we have volunteering in the garden, I would love to keep a couple of hives!

Take a look at these favorite pollinators...

I go out in the morning to begin the watering cycle, and I hear this general humming sound.  I couldn't quite place the sound, so I walk around listening.  I look up at the corn and realize the number of bees all over the corn and any other bloom in the garden combine to create this overall hummmmm!  It's got me fascinated with these hard workers.

They are tireless!

They're everywhere!
Here, the Catnip also attracts them!

 And the Zinnias.

Other beauty in the garden.

I am thrilled with the Dill.  And it's about to bloom!  Already!

A cute radish!

Pretty corn silk.

First wave of bush beans look promising.

And my two grapes!

They need a trellis...soooooo... I'm going to try my hand at building one for each one, joining them with a length forming a 'roof' for a nice sitting area!

I'm visualizing a nice bright color to complement the pretty leaves and making it an inviting focal point in the garden.  I'll be sure to give ya' all an update on that upcoming project!

Until next time, happy gardening, farming, and Farmgirl Friday blog hopping!

Thank you Deborah Jean for your gracious hosting!

I Love My Garden!

Gardens, to me, are like pieces of paradise.  Especially now when thunderstorms come to visit, drenching the garden in fresh cool rain!  Here in Arizona that's paradise! 

 In only 3 hours the storm built up from this...

...to this!

On my little walk-about, I discovered the laundry still on the line!  Ooops.  Now isn't that just real life?  Or am I just a space-case?  I think a little of both, actually.  Well, at least they'll be kissed by the sun one more time and they ought to smell really wonderful when they make it back in the house!  Maybe this little laps in memory is what embodies 'country' since you can't get sheets or clothes to smell that nice any other way!  You gotta 'earn' it!!!

I like that kind of reasoning...

Yaaaa...

Down inside a cinderblock, the kids found a wonderful garden-dweller...can you see him?

Let me move the leaf for a better view...

...it's a toad!  Yay!  Love to have them in the garden!  It means he's happy here and he'll help out with insects!

The garden gets to feeling like a forest, tall, deep, warm (instead of hot), productive, safe.

That's why I like this shot, makes me feel like I'm in an orchard!

I think I'll stay down here awhile and enjoy the fantasy...

...that's when I notice my Serrano Peppers next to me.  Have any of you ever grown Serranos before?  Mine keep getting knocked off by the wind before they even get to this size.  Another one turned red while is was smaller than these.  How big are they supposed to get before I harvest them?

I try to companion plant.  This Dill finally germinated after what seems like at least a month!  Dill is supposed to be one of those plants that are welcome anywhere in the garden, like Basil, Marigolds, etc.  I'm very happy to see this Dill plant doing well in the 'corn-forest.'

Can you spot all the Bell Peppers?

And here's some more!  Whoohoo!

My son enjoying one of my favorite flowers!  Zinnias!  They're also great at attracting butterflies.  Perfect!

I have no "country style."  My home is not the picture of 'country.'  My kids don't wear home made clothes (wish I was skilled enough to do that!).  I don't even know how to can anything yet.  

Yet...

  About the only thing 'country' about me is the true nitty-gritty of dirt under my fingernails, mud on my sandals, my ever-dirty truck as it bumps up and down these dirt roads, our growing knowledge of raising our own meat, fruits and veggies, and my kids are homeschooled out in the middle of no where!

As a Southwesterner, I'm learning to make perfect flour tortillas, a perfect pot of beans, and maybe one day we'll build a poured concrete home which resembles a Spanish Hacienda.

A girl can dream, can't she?

My Miracle Worker plotting how to make this dream come true...

"Someday, this could all be yours!"

Think we'll pull it off?

Dreams are dreams...you just never know!

I leave you with up to the minute storm pics!

Happy Farmgirl Friday blog hop!