Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
> My boss brought me back some Chicken Fajita Seasoning from a trip to
> Dallas. I think I'm going to give it a try tonight. It is called Fiesta
> Extra Fancy Chicken Fajita seasoning. I've already sprinkled the chicken
> and it's in the fridge. I'll season it all day until I get home. I'll
> then quick sear the chicken and then grill it until done. I'll make some
> quac sear the chicken across the grain and serve on warm flour tortillas
> with some shredded lettuce, sour cream and salsa.

Firstly, thanks for the idea, Michael! We made chicken fajitas last
night and they were very good... Thing is, we used the store-bought
tortillas, which weren't bad - but living in this part of the world, we
don't see them that often as not many stores stock them.

So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
"tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
suggestions?

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

"cathyxyz" > wrote in
ups.com:


>
> Firstly, thanks for the idea, Michael! We made chicken fajitas last
> night and they were very good... Thing is, we used the store-bought
> tortillas, which weren't bad - but living in this part of the world, we
> don't see them that often as not many stores stock them.
>
> So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> suggestions?

I have made them once, and the recipe I used just called for a rolling
pin. Worked fine. The recipe was from The Complete Mexican Cookbook by
Lourdes Nichols.

Tortillas de Harina

500g plain white or wholemeal flour
1 tbsp salt
75g lard, cubed (I didn't have any lard, and wasn't going out to buy it
so used butter - they tasted fine to me, but I'm sure would be more
authentic with lard)
300ml hot water

Put the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the fat and rub in till
mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in hot water to make a soft, warm,
pliable dough.
Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead until no longer sticky.
Cover with a warm, damp tea towel.
Shape about 50g dough into a ball the size of a plum, then flatten it.
Place on a floured board and with a floured rolling pin roll it out until
it is thin enough to see the board through the pastry (this took quite a
bit of rolling <g>)
In the book the author says not to worry about whether the tortillas are
perfectly round, as you can trim them by cutting round a plate.
Put the tortillas on a floured tray when rolled, making sure there is
enough flour on them to stop them sticking together. Don't stack more
than two high when raw.

Heat a dry griddle or heavy based frying pan until a few drops of water
sizzle on it, then reduce heat to moderate. Pick up a tortilla and place
carefully on hot griddle. Leave it for about 30 seconds; as it cooks it
will thicken a little. When it starts to bubble, turn it over and cook
for a further 10 seconds. At this stage the tortilla will have lost its
transparency, but will still look very pale. This does not matter, as it
will cook a little more when you warm it up. If you overcook it, it will
become dry and brittle and will not be supple enough to fold. Stack the
tortillas on a wire rack, wrapped in a clean tea-towel.

When all tortillas are cooked and cool, place a square of waxed paper
between each one to prevent them from sticking together. Store in a
sealed polythene bag.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Rhonda Anderson wrote:
> "cathyxyz" > wrote in
> ups.com:

>
> I have made them once, and the recipe I used just called for a rolling
> pin. Worked fine. The recipe was from The Complete Mexican Cookbook by
> Lourdes Nichols.
>
> Tortillas de Harina

<snipped rec>

Thanks Rhonda. Will try this... funnily enough the store-bought ones we
had were made in Australia - El Paso brand? or something heh heh heh.
Went to look for them at the store we got them last time and guess
what? None to be had. <sigh>

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

"cathyxyz" > wrote in news:1140871405.371070.84520
@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:


> Thanks Rhonda. Will try this... funnily enough the store-bought ones we
> had were made in Australia - El Paso brand? or something heh heh heh.
> Went to look for them at the store we got them last time and guess
> what? None to be had. <sigh>
>

Yes, it would be El Paso. There are a few brands here now, and they're
always available in the supermarkets.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Rhonda Anderson > wrote in
. 5:

> "cathyxyz" > wrote in
> news:1140871405.371070.84520 @i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>
>
>> Thanks Rhonda. Will try this... funnily enough the store-bought ones
>> we had were made in Australia - El Paso brand? or something heh heh
>> heh. Went to look for them at the store we got them last time and
>> guess what? None to be had. <sigh>
>>
>
> Yes, it would be El Paso. There are a few brands here now, and they're
> always available in the supermarkets.
>

Following up to my own post (bad manners, I know), but I think it's
actually Old El Paso rather than El Paso. Might help you find them again if
you have the right brand name!

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

>
> Thanks Rhonda. Will try this... funnily enough the store-bought ones we
> had were made in Australia - El Paso brand? or something heh heh heh.
> Went to look for them at the store we got them last time and guess
> what? None to be had. <sigh>
>
DH & I have a saying for that situation: They're just too darned popular!
Now, why if something is so darned popular, can't they get more.
But -- they say, their supplier will only supply them so many.

Or they will say, nobody buys them anymore, so they don't worry about
stocking them.

If it's a product I can't do without, I get busy and start looking; don't
take anyone's opinion as to why it is not on shelf.

This is akin to the answer when you are trying to find out if you've
overlooked the location in the store for a product;
The question is: Do you carry "such and such." The answer is, "If you don't
see it, we don't got it." Tee hee.
This scenario doesn't arise at Trader Joe's. Wonder if TJ's has alerted
them not to say this pulling-your-hair-out answer.

Dee Dee

Dee Randall wrote:
> >
> > Thanks Rhonda. Will try this... funnily enough the store-bought ones we
> > had were made in Australia - El Paso brand? or something heh heh heh.
> > Went to look for them at the store we got them last time and guess
> > what? None to be had. <sigh>
> >
> DH & I have a saying for that situation: They're just too darned popular!
> Now, why if something is so darned popular, can't they get more.
> But -- they say, their supplier will only supply them so many.
>
> Or they will say, nobody buys them anymore, so they don't worry about
> stocking them.
>
> If it's a product I can't do without, I get busy and start looking; don't
> take anyone's opinion as to why it is not on shelf.
>
> This is akin to the answer when you are trying to find out if you've
> overlooked the location in the store for a product;
> The question is: Do you carry "such and such." The answer is, "If you don't
> see it, we don't got it." Tee hee.
> This scenario doesn't arise at Trader Joe's. Wonder if TJ's has alerted
> them not to say this pulling-your-hair-out answer.

It's just so annoying.... we shop at certain stores because they have
certain foodstuffs... which usually lasts about six months - and it's
gone! Then we shop elsewhere. We don't have TJ's in this country - wish
we did, but we have stores like Woolworths Food Halls - they usually
keep a pretty good stock of most "good stuff" on an on-going basis.

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

cathyxyz wrote on 25 Feb 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
> > My boss brought me back some Chicken Fajita Seasoning from a trip to
> > Dallas. I think I'm going to give it a try tonight. It is called
> > Fiesta Extra Fancy Chicken Fajita seasoning. I've already sprinkled
> > the chicken and it's in the fridge. I'll season it all day until I
> > get home. I'll then quick sear the chicken and then grill it until
> > done. I'll make some quac sear the chicken across the grain and
> > serve on warm flour tortillas with some shredded lettuce, sour cream
> > and salsa.
>
> Firstly, thanks for the idea, Michael! We made chicken fajitas last
> night and they were very good... Thing is, we used the store-bought
> tortillas, which weren't bad - but living in this part of the world,
> we don't see them that often as not many stores stock them.
>
> So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> suggestions?
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)
>

While a press makes it easier. You can use a rolling pin.

You can even use the bottom of 2 plates. Put some dough in the middle of
one upside down plate...in the center of the rimmed area. Put another
upside down plate over top and press...In mexico they use their hands and
just press them out thin.

--
-Alan

Mr Libido Incognito wrote:

>
> While a press makes it easier. You can use a rolling pin.
>
> You can even use the bottom of 2 plates. Put some dough in the middle of
> one upside down plate...in the center of the rimmed area. Put another
> upside down plate over top and press...In mexico they use their hands and
> just press them out thin.

Thanks Mr Lib (and all) for the input.... Should be an interesting
exercise.

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

On 2006-02-25, cathyxyz > wrote:

> So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> suggestions?

Flour tortillas are made with a rolling pin, corn tortillas with a
press. I was taught how to make flour tortillas with a rolling pin,
which is traditionally a small wooden dowel about 3/4" to 1" dia and
about 6" long. My rolling pin is from an old broomstick handle. I'm
sure a standard rolling pin will work just fine.

nb

On 25 Feb 2006 02:49:05 -0800, "cathyxyz" >
rummaged among random neurons and opined:

<snip>

>So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
>recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
>"tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
>suggestions?

I've made flour tortillas for 30 years with the following recipe and a
rolling pin:

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Flour Tortillas

mexican

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening
12 cup +/- water

In mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in
shortening until mixture resembles corn meal. Add water and mix until
dough can be gathered into a ball. Let dough rest 15 mins. Divide
dough into 12 portions; shape into balls. On a lightly floured
surface, roll each ball to a 7" round. Cook on ungreased skillet over
medium heat about 1 1/2 mins. per side or until lightly browned.

Makes 12 tortillas

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

_.-In rec.food.cooking, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote the following -._
> Flour Tortillas
>
> mexican
>
> 2 cups flour
> 1 teaspoon salt
> 1 teaspoon baking powder
> 1 tablespoon shortening
> 12 cup +/- water

I just tried making this. The dough is resting right now. I culdn't
help but notice something after adding the first 2 cups of water: The
recipe is wrong. That should say 1/2 cup water. Please correct your
source.

> In mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in
> shortening until mixture resembles corn meal. Add water and mix until
> dough can be gathered into a ball. Let dough rest 15 mins. Divide
> dough into 12 portions; shape into balls. On a lightly floured
> surface, roll each ball to a 7" round. Cook on ungreased skillet over
> medium heat about 1 1/2 mins. per side or until lightly browned.
>
> Makes 12 tortillas

--
.-')) fauxascii.com ('-. | It's a damn poor mind that
' ..- .:" ) ( ":. -.. ' | can only think of one way to
((,,_;'.;' UIN=66618055 ';. ';_,,)) | spell a word.
((_.YIM=Faux_Pseudo :._)) | - Andrew Jackson

On 25 Feb 2006 02:49:05 -0800, cathyxyz wrote:
>
> So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> suggestions?
>
Traditional flour tortillas are patted out by hand, cathy. The press
is for making corn tortillas.
http://tinyurl.com/hj8pr
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/re...ws/views/13590
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

sf wrote:

> >
> Traditional flour tortillas are patted out by hand, cathy. The press
> is for making corn tortillas.

Thanks, sf. Am eager to try my hand at them now... (and no "rude"
remarks from Sheldon, please!)

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On 25 Feb 2006 02:49:05 -0800, cathyxyz wrote:
> >
> > So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> > recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> > "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> > suggestions?
> >
> Traditional flour tortillas are patted out by hand, cathy. The press
> is for making corn tortillas.

We've always used a rolling pin. It's how great grandma from New Mexico
taught us.

marcella

cathyxyz wrote:
>
>
>
> So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
> recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
> "tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
> suggestions?
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)

Rolling pin works fine.

On 25 Feb 2006 02:49:05 -0800, "cathyxyz" >
wrote:

>So.... thinking of making them ourselves. I found a few simple looking
>recipes when googling - but my question is this: does one need a
>"tortilla press" or will our trusty old rolling pin do? - any
>suggestions?

Rolling pin is fine, but so is just using your hands.

serene