Flour Tortillas

Fresh flour tortillas, made at home are a treat that will leave resturant versions lacking.  When I was a kid, my friend, Francein, lived across the street from school.  We would go to her house to watch TV and drink sweet Ice Tea, after dismissal. There was a show that came on right after school and it took me too long to get home, so I watched it at her house. At some point, she got a recipe
 for flour tortillas from someone, (she can not remember the event at all and I think it may have been her Grandmother) and for about 3 months we made flour tortillas, to go with the sweet ice tea and TV show. In case you are wondering, I learned to make sweet tea and boiled squash at her house, too. But that was a long time ago, and the recipe was lost, like other things in life. So when I decided to do a series of recipes for Cinco de Mayo, I emailed her.  As previously stated, she did not recall any of it, so I am back to scratch for the tortilla recipe.
Right here, I have to tell you about the first batch we made. First of all, we were about 12 years old but both of us knew how to cook. The recipe seemed like it would use too much "junk", as I called it then, and she agreed, so we decided to half the recipe.  Which worked until we forgot to half the salt.  Only her brother would eat the tortillas.  Francein's mom had the patience of Job, because thinking back on the time I spent at their home, I would have driven Me crazy. Her mom let us continue to make tortillas until the appeal was gone.  Sometimes I brought the ingredients mixed, so all we had to do was add liquid. But it continued through most of the spring.  Then as the gardens and crops started "making", I had to go straight home but I have great memories of Francein and her family.  She should write a book.
When I first made this recipe, I had the proportions wrong.  There was too much water and additional flour had to be worked into the dough.  That is not a good thing.  I think that I have it fixed.  I hope that you try these.  They are easy enough that 12 year olds can make them. :)

3 cups of Flour
2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 teaspoon of Salt
6 Tablespoons of Shortening
1 cup of Warm Water

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cut in the Shortening and make a well in the middle.  Add water and mix thoroughly.  Divide the dough into 12 equal dough balls.  Using a floured board or pastry sheet, roll out each dough ball.  Cook on an electric griddle at 350 degrees until the top side starts to puff in spots and the undersides start to brown.  Flip over and cook the other side. Serve with Sweet Ice Tea and watch reruns of Star Trek.  Life does not get any better than that.  Thanks, Francein.

Enjoy!

Deloris