Tortillas and tortilla chips

Tortillas

We love to make our own tortillas.  It's fairly quick and makes corn tortillas so much better!

2 cups masa harina (Maseca brand is the easiest to find.  Usually it's in the ethnic food section near the salsas)
1 cup water
Mix them together thoroughly.  It's about the consistency of playdough when you have it right.
Roll it into balls - about 1-inch in diameter, or a little larger, depending on your preference in tortilla size.
Put a ziploc plastic bag on the table.  Put one ball on top of the bag.  Cover it with another ziploc bag.  Take the heaviest pan you have and squash out the ball until it's flat.  (If you can find a tortilla press, use the plastic bags inside the tortilla press, but it's a bit easier to squash it out flat.)

Preheat a griddle or pan (again, the cast iron is great here, but any skillet will work) over medium-high heat.  Don't put any fat in the pan, just leave it dry.  Place your tortilla on the pan.  After 1-2 minutes, it should be easy to slide the tortilla.  If it's not, let it go a little longer until it is.  Flip it and heat the other side for 30 seconds - 1 minute.  Again, it should be easy to slide.  Put the finished tortilla in a towel and cover it to keep it warm and moist until you've finished making tortillas.

These are great with a little butter and salt while they are hot.  Obviously, they work for tacos.  They are also handy for rolling anything you might like in a sandwich  - meat, cheese, veggies, etc.

Tortilla Chips

You can use the homemade tortillas or store-bought tortillas to make your own chips.  These are especially good for chilaquilles.  Unlike store-bought chips, though, they can't really be stored.  You have to make them and serve them within a short amount of time.  They can be freshened by putting them in medium-hot (350-400 degree) oven for about 5 minutes, but  they aren't quite as good.

Slice your tortillas any way you like - strips, wedges, etc.
Use a medium sauce pan.
Add 1/2 inch of canola or vegetable oil.
Heat it over medium-high heat until when you throw in a tortilla piece it sizzles.

Add a handful of tortilla pieces.  You can stir them a little with a wooden spoon as they cook.  It will take 3-5 minutes, depending on how thick the pieces are, but when they are crisp, take them out and put them on a paper-towel lined plate.  When you've fried all of them, add a little salt.

In both of these cases, the easiest thing to do is buy the tortillas or chips, but sometimes it's nice to make them yourself.  It's also a handy way of knowing what went into them.  I prefer canola oil to many of the other oils for frying things like this.  Who knows what the final research will prove, but canola seems to have better reviews from the nutritionists than many others do.