Enjoy your tortillas alongside frijoles, carne asada, or some good salsa verde. Fill them with any kind of meat, bean,veggetable or fruit. Top them with your favorite sauces, or even toast them up with some butter and some cinnamon for a delicious treat!

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups of white flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup warm water

Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium sized mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the oil and warm water together. Combine the water and oil mix with the flour slowly, adding only a tablespoon at a time. Mix in the tablespoon of water with a whisk or fork.

Add in another tablespoon of water once the first has been mixed in. Keep going until you have mixed all of the water into the flour to create your dough.

At this point, your dough should feel gooey and tacky.

HOW TO KNEAD THE DOUGH

Add a light coating of flour to your counter, or use a wood cutting board. Begin to knead the dough by flattening it with your hands. This is a fun part of the process that’s great for getting the kids involved. Keep folding the dough on itself, turn it and flatten it again with your hands. Make sure to use your palms to really press it down. You will ‘need to knead’ for roughly 5 minutes or so.

Once you begin to feel the dough getting sticky, toss on a bit of flour to dry it out a bit.

If you’re finding it hard to knead the dough because it’s too sticky, gather it all up and add some more flower to your surface area.

You should be able to eliminate the sticky feeling and wind up with a dough that feels smooth to the touch. Next, return the dough to the bowl and cover the bowl with a moist paper towel.

The dough will need to set for about a half hour. After this resting period, split the dough into tiny balls (about 1 inch in diameter). You could use a spoon to do this, or just pull the globs of dough off with your hands.

To make larger tortillas, make larger dough balls.

Set your dough balls onto a plate or baking sheet and cover them with your moist towel.

The dough balls should sit again for about 10-15 minutes.

IT’S TIME TO ROLL THE TORTILLAS

Dig out your largest, flattest skillet and set it aside. If you have cast iron pans, that is the best, but it’s not necessary. Again coat your work surface with a pinch of flour. Flatten out one the dough balls into a 3 inch circle. Add some flour to a rolling pin and start rolling the dough until it’s flat.

Keep rolling it until it is about 7 or 8 inches around. The tortilla should be roughly an eighth inch thick.

Don’t worry if your tortilla isn’t perfectly round. Getting a perfect circle is not easy, but if you really want it perfect you can always trim some of the dough off to shape it. There’s nothing wrong with an odd shaped tortilla, and it’s entirely up to you as to how perfect they look.

Besides, nobody will be worried about the shape once they taste them!

COOK THE TORTILLAS

Take your rolled tortilla and place it right on your preheated pan. It’s not necessary to use any type of butter or olive oil. Let the tortilla cook for about 25 seconds. You should see some brown spots on your tortilla.

Turn your torilla over and cook it for another 25 seconds. Be careful to avoid burning.

Keep your tortilla soft and avoid overcooking it. It’s up to you how tender they will be.

Once a tortilla is cooked, place it in a tortilla warmer, or wrap it them in a towel or foil.

TORTILLA STORAGE

Try to enjoy your tortillas immediately after cooking them for best results. However, you can put some away in a refrigerator or the freezer to use at your next meal. I also prefer to make some extra dough and freeze it for use over the coming months. If you choose to put your tortillas in the freezer, make sure to use plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag.

When you wish to eat these frozen beauties, just thaw them out at room temp and then toss them in some foil and into the oven on low for ten minutes or so.

You can also use a microwave if you desire to warm the tortillas. That’s all there is to it! You can now make your very own delicious flour tortillas. This simple recipe really makes a big difference in the quality of your Mexican Meals. If you don’t believe me, try it out and ask your family & guests what they think. They’ll be certain to sing the praises of your great homemade flour tortillas!

Guacamole is a fantastic appetizer for any Mexican Meal!

Guacamole is a special kind of sauce and is a type that is unique on its own. It is more commonly served as a dip for tortilla – usually tacos – as an appetizer.

Guacamole is generally made with avocado and asparagus. Other fruits that are known to be great appetizers may also be an ingredient of guacamole. Examples are kiwi and berries for their sweet flavor and lemons for the tangy punch of the sauce. Guacamole may be mild spicy hot to extremely hot taste. It is usually served with salsas or sour cream that makes appetizers, such as taco pie, taco sandwich and nachos, even more delightful to the taste buds.

A basic guacamole recipe will need:

* 1 ripe avocado, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
* 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, simply combine the avocado with the onions, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Mash everything together using the back of a fork until the mixture is already smooth. Serve immediately or may be served later. The mixture needs to be refrigerated if the guacamole will be served at a later time. The mixture must be covered with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the dip. This may be refrigerated for up to four hours.

Another simple guacamole recipe is the Guacamole Salad. Needed for the recipe are:

* 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup small diced red onion
* 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (about 2 peppers)
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
* 1/4 cup good olive oil
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Meanwhile, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Pour this mixture over the vegetables. Toss everything together well. Set this aside until ready to serve. Fold the diced avocados and check if seasoning is right for taste just before serving the salad. This salad is best served at room temperature.

Mole Negro is considered the most famous among the moles because of the difficulty in its preparation and it traditionally having six different kinds of chilies that dominate the sauce. The six chilies are Chilguacle Negro, Mulatto, Pasilla, Ancho, Guajillo, and Chipotle.

The Mexican state of Puebla boasts their Mole Poblano. When Americans think of mole, Mole Poblano is actually what they have in mind. The chilies used for this kind is commonly ancho, pasilla, mulato or chipotle which are dried and re-hydrated during preparation of the sauce. To make Mole Poblano, the following ingredients are needed:

* 1/4 pound sesame seeds
* Olive oil, for cooking
* 1/4 pound almonds
* 1/4 pound peanuts
* 3 bananas or plantains
* 1 pound raisins
* 1/4 pound tomatoes
* 1 pound fire roasted poblano chilies, re-hydrated in water
* 1/4 teaspoon aniseeds
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 ounce unsweetened Mexican chocolate
* 2 pre-cooked turkey legs

Toast the sesame seeds in a medium pan. Afterwards, place the toasted sesame seeds in the food processor. In the same pan, add some oil and fry the following one by one and add in the food processor each time frying is done: almonds, peanuts, plantains, raisins, and lastly tomatoes. Add the poblanos, aniseeds and cinnamon in the food processor and grind everything together. Thin the mixture with the leftover water used in re-hydrating the chilies. Heat oil in a large saucepan and bring out the flavors of the mixture by cooking it in oil. Add the chocolate and wait until it melts with the mixture. Add the pre-cooked turkey legs and let it simmer until the turkey is heated through.

A typical mole served with chicken is the Mole de cacahuete or peanut mole. This Pollo en Mole de Cacahuate (Chicken with peanut mole sauce) recipe will need the following to make 6 to 8 servings:

* 1 (4-pound) stewing chicken, cut up
* 8 cups water
* 4 stalks celery with leaves
* 1 medium carrot, sliced
* 1 small onion, cut up
* 2 sprigs parsley
* 2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 of a 10-ounce can (2/3 cup) tomatoes with green chilies
* 2 slices white bread, torn
* 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
* 4 whole cloves
* 3 whole black peppercorns
* 1 (1/2-inch stick) cinnamon
* 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 small clove garlic, minced

Prepare the chicken by putting the chunks in a Dutch oven with water. Add celery, carrot, onion, parsley, bouillon granules, and pepper. Bring to boiling point. Cover and cook over low heat 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until the chicken chunks are tender. Remove the chicken from the oven and place in a 2-quart casserole. Strain the broth and skim off fat. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the broth for sauce (cover and refrigerate remaining broth for another use). To make the mole sauce, place the reserved chicken broth, tomatoes with green chilies, bread, and peanut butter in a blender or food processor. Process until a smooth consistency is achieved. Put this mixture in a 2-quart saucepan. Let it stand while crushing together the cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon using a mortar and pestle. Add those dry ingredients in the saucepan plus the chili powder and minced garlic. Reduce the heat once it starts to boil. Simmer uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened, while constantly stirring. Spoon the mole over the chicken in the casserole. Cover the casserole and bake in oven with 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

Other Mole recipes are available in most Mexican cookbooks. There is the Mole Mancha Manteles which has a strong Ancho chili flavor and is famous for dressing some plantains and pineapples. Another is the Mole Coloradito, a sauce which is dark red in color because of cinnamon, has a simple taste, and uses ancho and pasilla or guajillo chilies. Mole Rojo which is lighter in color, spicier than the Coloradito, and uses Ancho and Guajillo chilies. Mole Verde is made green using tomatillos instead of the regular tomatoes. Mole Chichilo is a not so common kind because of its odd ashy flavor. The steps in making these other types of moles are similar to those that are presented except that the ingredients vary among them. Enjoying a mole in dishes has just been made easy to be prepared at home.

This simple and easy salsa recipe that will yield about 4.5 – 5 cups, needs the following:

* 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1/4 cup chunky salsa
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 cup canned chopped green chilies, optional

In a large bowl, simply combine the tomatoes, onions, salsa, salt and pepper. Add the chilies if desired. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Another version is this ten-minute salsa. Simply combine the following ingredients in a bowl, cover then refrigerate:

* 4 freshly diced large plum tomatoes
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 1-2 teaspoons minced jalapeno with seeds removed
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 garlic clove, minced

Again, fresh salsas are easy to make. The freshness is guaranteed especially if the tomatoes and onions are grown in the backyard.

The Pineapple salsa is ideal to serve over chicken, fish or pork, simply as a side dish. To make this salsa, the following are needed:

* 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
* 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
* 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/4 cup chopped onions
* 2 green chili peppers, chopped
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* salt and pepper to taste

The directions are simple: In a large bowl, toss together pineapple, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, corn, black beans, onions, green chili peppers, orange juice, and cilantro. Season the mixture with cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Mango salsa is another fruit salsa variation and is a common favorite. This is a very simple recipe with few ingredients yet the flavors are bursting in the mouth. The sweet yet spicy flavor makes it best served with chicken, pork or even just tortilla chips. This recipe has so much color that to make this fare even more exciting, pair it with a mix of red, yellow and blue tortilla chips.

This recipe will need:

* 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
* 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
* 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* 2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Simply combine the mangoes, pineapple, cilantro, ginger, red onions, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Stir lightly to mix the ingredients together. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

This last fruit salsa recipe, Fruit salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla chips, may be considered the free style of all salsas. This just offers a template of a good fruit salsa but one is free to adjust the recipe according to personal preference. Be creative! It must be noted however that fruit salsas such as this one must be consumed right away as fresh fruits do not keep well in the refrigerator for an extended period.

Needed for this recipe are:

* 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and diced
* 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
* 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
* 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 cup oil for frying
* 6 (10-inch) flour tortillas
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, bananas, lime juice, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes. While the salsa chills in the refrigerator, heat oil in a medium heavy saucepan to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C. Slice flour tortillas into triangles. Carefully place tortilla triangles into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Place white sugar and cinnamon in a large zipper plastic bag. Drop fried tortilla triangles into the bag and shake to coat. Serve the cinnamon chips warm with the chilled fruit salsa.

If baked cinnamon chips are preferred, it can easily be done as well. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C. Arrange the tortilla triangles in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, watching the tortillas closely to avoid burning.

The following are needed in making Salsa fresca:

* 6 roma tomatoes, diced
* 3 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
* 1/4 red onion, chopped
* 3 green onions, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 small jicama, peeled and chopped
* 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
* salt and ground black pepper to taste

Simply mix together the tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, red onion, green onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, cumin, jicama, and the diced tomatoes with chilies in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and then mix well. Allow the mixture to sit for at least one hour before serving.

A variation of the Salsa fresca will need the following ingredients:

* 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
* 1 sweet onion, diced
* 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
* 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
* 1 bunch cilantro, finely minced
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large bowl, just mix the tomatoes, onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Other recipes that use this kind of black bean are the following: Feijoada which is the national dish of Brazil, Platillo Moros y Cristianos of the Cubans and the typical gallo pinto of Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Not only is the black bean served in almost all of Latin America, it is also well-received in the many Hispanic enclaves in the United States. The black turtle bean is a favorite in making soups which are best eaten with Cuban crackers.

Recently, health benefits from the black bean have been reported. Black beans are now known to be extremely good source of antioxidants that fight most cancer cells in the body.

Planning ahead is necessary in making Black Beans Salsa. This recipe will require refrigeration for at least eight hours. The following ingredients are needed in preparing Black Beans Salsa:

* 3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (11-ounce) can Mexican-style corn, drained
* 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chili peppers, partially drained
* 2 tomatoes, diced
* 2 bunches green onions, chopped
* cilantro leaves, for garnish

As in all salsas, preparing this dish is as easy as one-two-three. In a large bowl, put the black beans, Mexican-style corn, diced tomatoes with green chili peppers, tomatoes and green onion stalks. Mix everything together well. Garnish with desired amount of cilantro leaves. Chill in the refrigerator for at least eight hours, or overnight, before serving.

To make salsa verde, the following ingredients are needed:

* 1 pound of tomatillos
* 1 chopped onion
* 1 chopped green onion
* 2 teaspoons of minced jalapeño
* 1 cup chicken stock
* Salt and pepper to taste

Cook tomatillos in salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. After boiling, use a blender to puree the tomatillos in water and then set aside. The onions are then sautéed in a large skillet. Before the onions become soft, add the green onions in the skillet. Combine the pureed tomatillos, cooked onions and the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes. Serve this at room temperature.

Another salsa recipe is the Pico de Gallo. Back in the days, this dish was eaten using the hands, the salsa in between all the fingers resembling a pecking rooster. Thus the name was given. In Spanish, pico de gallo actually means “rooster’s beak”, and is also known as salsa Mexicana. It is made with finely chopped diced tomatoes, onions, lime juice and cilantro. Jicama and other raw ingredients may be added if preferred. It is very similar to the common salsa fresca except that pico de gallo’s ingredients are simply uniformly chopped as opposed to the pureed ingredients of the regular salsa.

Pico de gallo has the following ingredients:

* 3 medium tomatoes that are still firm to the touch
* 1 green onion with the stalk
* 3 jalapeños or serrano peppers to taste
* 1/2 bunch cilantro
* 1 medium sweet yellow onion
* 1 pinch of salt
* some fresh lime juice

To prepare, simply dice the tomatoes and onions into little uniform cubes. Set aside. Then finely chop the cilantro and jalapeños. In a bowl, toss all the ingredients together, making sure that the salsa is mixed well. Serve with your favorite Mexican dish.

My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats

Bolillo is a type of salty bread that is very similar to the French bread and is considered a variation of the baguette. In fact, it was actually believed that the French inspired the creation of bolillos. Bolillo means bobbin or spindle, and the bread shares the name with a short rolling pin used to make breads. The bread has a crispy, flavorful crust and a soft, chewy crumb. The dough is usually formed into a football shaped roll. Bolillos are often used for the Mexican sandwich called torta. If the bolillo is scored to create three sections along the length of the football shape, then it is called a telera. Traditionally, bolillos are cooked in large rock ovens for that crunchy crust, a feature that makes this kind of bread quite appealing. Freshly-baked bolillos are best and may be consumed at any time of the day. Accompaniments such as eggs and some pan fried meat are suggested but a simple milk or chocolate milk over a split bolillo will already make a hearty snack. A bolillo recipe will need the following:

* 4 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 package yeast
* 2 cups warm water
* 1 egg white, whisked

In a large mixing bowl, pour the water and sprinkle the yeast on it. Get another bowl and mix the flour, salt and sugar. Add this flour mixture to the water and yeast bowl a little at a time and mix until a dough forms. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with towel or cloth. Leave this in a warm place for about an hour to let the dough rise. Remove dough from bowl, punch it down and knead for about 10 minutes. Divide dough into 10 balls. For oval shaped rolls, roll the balls between your palms for about 5 seconds to make a cylindrical shape, tapering slightly at the ends. Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush each dough ball with egg whites. Score each roll with two, 2-inch lines along the top, about 1/4 inch deep. Bake for about 30 minutes.
My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats

Pan Dulce is one of the sweet pastries that are famous in Mexico. The name literally means “sweet bread” that Mexicans love to eat during merienda or in-between meal snacks. Pan Dulce does not have preservatives so their shelf life is just short. To make Pan Dulce, one will need:

* 1 tablespoon or one package dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup lukewarm water
* 3 1/2 cups flour
* 4 eggs, beaten and at room temperature

And for the toppings:

* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup flour
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* optional- food coloring

Start by making the bread itself. Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar and yeast into lukewarm water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Cream the shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl and slowly add the eggs, salt and the water & yeast mixture. Add the flour one cup at a time until a dough is formed. Cover with towel or cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. Divide dough into 16 pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet with plenty of space between each dough ball. Press each ball slightly to flatten it. Let the dough rise for an hour. Prepare the topping while waiting for the dough to rise. Mix all the topping ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Using the hands, divide the topping into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll it out on a floured surface until it is large enough to cover each piece of dough, about 5 inches in diameter. Lightly press the topping onto dough and use a knife to cut a pattern into the topping, but not into the dough. Bake the bread at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the bread is lightly golden.

Breads and Pastries generally make up a nice Mexican meal and can even substitute as smaller and lighter fare. The Mexican’s love for eating and appealing food make breads and pastries a must present on the dining table!

For more bread and pastries recipes, we suggest this great book by Fany Gerson:

Click HERE to read reviews on Amazon.