I used to love making homemade tortillas with my grandma as a child. She’d let me roll out the dough and give me cookie cutters to cut them into whatever holiday shapes I wanted.

I’m not sure why I no longer make them everyday, but they’re so easy and cheap to make, plus they taste 100 times better than any kind bought in the store, and best of all – they don’t have any lard!

As shown in the photo, it pairs really well with Mexican Rice: http://plantbasedonabudget.com/recipe/mexican-rice/

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups flour - I used unbleached all-purpose, but whole wheat works too
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup hot water

Method

Step 1

In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the flour, and vegetable shortening, making sure to massage all the clumps of shortening into the flour. I usually continuously rub my hands in a back and forth motion to feel that all the shortening particles have been broken up. When it seems that they're well-combined, mix in the baking powder.

Step 2

Dissolve the salt in hot water and pour 2/3 of it into the flour mixture, mix in with your hands. Add the rest of water if there are still loose flour particles - I sometimes need to add another 1/2 tsp of water to make sure it all sticks. It should be smooth, not sticky.

Step 3

Divide dough into several sections - I made mine into five large burrito-sized tortillas. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into whatever shapes you'd like, these days I stick to the circle tortilla. Continue to lightly flour the dough if it begins to stick to the rolling pin or surface.

Step 4

On a hot un-greased griddle or skillet, place the rolled out tortilla dough for about 45 seconds or until it has brown spots on the bottom. Make sure it bubbles . Flip over and do it again to the other side.

Step 5

When tortillas are finished, stack them on a plate covered in a towel.