Home Canning Safety 101

 I wanted to share some vital information for those who may be home canning for the first time. It's my basic home canning safety 101 that I share in my canning class and incredibly valuable. It's a little long in the tooth...but if you home can, it's well worth the read. In fact...it can save your life!

Can Home-Canned Food Spoil?
You've put up 50 pints of food from this year's garden: tomatoes, pickles, jam, chutney and a bumper crop of beans.But you still have rows of canned goods left from the last two seasons. How do you know they're still good? Can home-canned food spoil?

Yes, it can, and here are some reasons why, and what you can do about them:

Fresh food was of poor quality, or unwashed, unpeeled or untrimmed
This results in a high microbial load. It may have required a longer processing time for complete sterilization than is usually recommended.
Solution: Prepare food properly before canning.

Food was packed too tightly in jars
As a result, the temperature in the center of the jar did not get high enough long enough for complete sterilization of the food.
Solution: Pack food loosely; prepare according to the USDA Guidelines (1/2-inch slices, halves, etc.), then use the recommended time, pressure and temperature.

Jars became unsterile soon after being filled
If lids are not placed on jars and processing is not started right after jars are filled, microorganisms may grow to very high levels prior to processing.
Solution: Fill jars as quickly as possible and use sterile equipment.

Under-processing
This may be due to inaccurate heat-processing time or if processing was interrupted (by a power failure, pressure fluctuation, etc.).
Solution: Check to be sure you're using up-to-date processing times and watch closely to be sure processing isn't interrupted.

Open-kettle canning, microwave canning or oven canning methods were used
These methods do not get the canned food hot enough long enough to kill microorganisms. So the food may spoil, may contain dangerous microorganisms and their toxins, or both.
Solution: Use recommended canning methods: a pressure canner for low-acid foods and a boiling water bath canner for high-acid foods.

Improper cooling of jars after processing
Jars may have been left in the canner at the end of processing time or when the gauge read "O." As jars cool, they can suck water (containing microbes or spores) back into the food. Very slow or very rapid cooling may also have interfered with formation of a seal.
Solution: Remove jars from canner after processing to cool and protect from extreme temperatures.

Use of paraffin to seal jelly jars
Paraffin is no longer recommended for sealing jams, jellies or preserves. Mold, which is the most common spoiler of sweet spreads, can send "roots" down along the edge of the paraffin and produce toxic substances in the spread.
Solution: Can jams, jellies and preserves as you would other foods.

Improper storage
Home-canned foods that are exposed to temperatures over 95 degrees F may spoil. Microorganisms tolerate and will grow at high temperatures. So, if they are still present, they may grow and spoil the food, or alter the food so that other microorganisms can grow.

Home-canned foods stores in the sunlight may get very hot inside, which allows the air in the headspace to expand, breaking open the seal and allowing microorganisms to recontaminate the food.

If very acidic foods (pickled or fermented products, and some juices) were kept for a long time, the acid may have eaten away at the lid, resulting in pinholes that allowed microorganisms to get into the jar. Discard any home-canned food with damaged or flaking metal on the lid.

Lids on home-canned foods stored in a damp place may also rust through, allowing microbes to get into the food.
Solution: Store home-canned foods in a cool, dry place. Date all home-canned goods and use within a year.

For more information about food safety, call USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555 .
Source:http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4277.htm
A Fact Sheet for People Who Prepare Food - University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bulletin #4277

Home canning Resources that I Recommend!
The Ball Blue Book, The Ball Home Canners Catalog, and home canning equipment and supplies are available from:

Alltrista Corporation
P.O. Box 2005
Muncie, IN 47307-0005
1-800-859-2255
http://www.homecanning.com/

The Kerr Kitchen Cookbook, a home canning and freezing guide, is $3.50 plus 50 cents S&H, from:
Kerr Glass Mfg. Corp.
P.O. Box 76961
Los Angeles, CA 90076

A home canning and freezing guide is one of many federal publications available from:
Consumer Information Catalog
Pueblo, CO 81002
1-888-878-3256
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cicform.htm
Bulletins available through your county extension office may be specifically revised for your geographic area. Look for ones on caring for pressure canners, canning tomatoes, vegetables, seafood, and fruits.
For miscellaneous questions about food preservation, check your phone book for your local County Extension office. Find out who your extension agent is, if they have any master food preservers registered, and what USDA pamphlets they stock. In some states smaller counties share agents. If this is the case with you, find the nearest county that has a staffed office, their office hours, and names of volunteers you can call for advice during off-hours. If you run into trouble on a hot Sunday afternoon, the expense of a long-distance phone call is nothing compared to the loss of a batch of food or the risk of food poisoning.
Some Common Question About Home Canning:
What is botulism?
Botulism is a serious, often fatal form of food poisoning. The poison is produced by "Clostridium botulinum", a bacterium that is found everywhere -- in soil, on raw fruits and vegetables and on meat and fish. Over the years, a number of people have died from botulism, as a direct result of improper home canning.
What causes botulism?
Botulism spores are resistant to heat -- even from boiling water -- and thrive in a moist, oxygen-free environment. As botulism spores reproduce, they generate one of the most extraordinarily powerful poisons on earth: one teaspoon-worth is sufficient to kill 100,000 people. Improper home canning creates the perfect environment in which to grow the botulism toxin. Because food contaminated by botulism may very well look and smell normal, there is often no warning. That is why home canning must be done properly with extreme care - any short cuts you take could be deadly.
What are the requirements for safe home canning?
Heat and acid level are the two keys to canning safety. High-acid foods such as plums or rhubarb are quite resistant to bacteria, and only require the "boiling water bath" method of canning. Low-acid foods -- including most vegetables, meats and seafood must be canned at higher temperatures, that only a pressure canner can attain.
What is the "boiling water bath" method?
The "boiling water bath" is probably what you saw your mother doing. It involves dropping a basket of sealed jars into a large pot of rapidly boiling water.
What is pressure canning?
A pressure canner is a large, cast-aluminum pot with a locking lid and a pressure gauge. By cooking under pressure, you can bring the temperature of boiling water up to 240F (116C). This is the minimum temperature necessary to destroy botulism spores, and the only way to guarantee safe canning for food items such as vegetables, meats and seafood. Your pressure canner should come with complete instructions. Always follow them carefully. Keep these pointers in mind:
Ten pounds is the minimum safe pressure;
Processing time -- will vary depending on the type of food being preserved and the size of the jar. Never shorten the cooking time that is recommended in the instructions.
If you live more than 1,000 feet above sea level, then both the pressure and cooking time will have to be adjusted (consult a chart);
Once the right pressure is reached during cooking, it must be kept constant throughout the cooking step;
Both "weighted" gauges and "dial" gauges should be checked for accuracy. Read the manufacturer's directions carefully for recommended testing/frequency procedures, to make sure your canner is being operated safely and correctly.
What jars are best for canning?
Manufacturers make heavy-duty jars specifically for home canning. Do not use, say, empty peanut butter jars, because commercial jars are not strong enough to be safely used for repeated home cannings. "Mason" jars -- which screw shut with a threaded neck are the most common choice.
Do not re-use the lids: after a lid has been pried off once, a perfect fit can no longer be guaranteed. The jars themselves can be used many times, as long as the sealing rims are perfectly smooth and there are no scratches or cracks.
What should you do if the home-canned food doesn't "look right"? Never eat, or even taste any home-canned food that:
1. appears to be spoiled;
foams;
2. develops a bad smell during cooking;
the container has a bulging lid or is leaching;
3. you are not sure whether the food was properly canned or not.
4. Place any questionable containers and food in a waterproof container and throw it in the garbage.
5. Do not feed the questionable food to your pets or any other animals.
6. After throwing it away, wash your hands well with warm soapy water. Also wash any utensils or surfaces the food or container may have touched.
Basic Sanitation:
The importance of cleanliness
The other safety factor to keep in mind is cleanliness. All work surfaces should be kept clean during all stages of the canning process. The food being preserved must itself be rinsed clean. It is particularly important to sterilize the jars and seals before use.
To sterilize jars
Boil them for 10 minutes. If you live at higher elevations (over 1,000 feet) allow one more minute of boiling for each extra 1,000 feet of elevation. To sterilize tops (seals with rubber gaskets) boil them for five minutes.
Any questions?
Home canning is perfectly safe ... but it needs to be done correctly. We recommend that you read up on home canning before you try it. Good books are available on the subject, either at the library or in the stores. Pressure canners almost always come with comprehensive instructions. If you have an older pressure canner and cannot find the instructions, contact the manufacturer to ask for a copy.
Source: BC Health Guide
BC HealthFile #22, January 2002
http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile22.stm



So here are my thoughts on Food Born Illness and home canning... once you know what is safe, you are on your way!
Don't join the F.B.I. It could kill you. I don't mean the Feds. I am talking about food born illness. Here are a few things you need to know:

There are a few kinds of FBI's
Intoxication-- foods containing toxins produced during a pathogen's life. Once in the body, these toxins act as poison (see staphylococcus and botulism)
Infections-- Food eaten has a large number of living pathogens. These multiply in the body and usually attack the gastrointestinal lining (salmonellosis).
Chemical poisoning-- in home canning this can be caused by improper washing of fruits and vegetables if you buy commercially or raise your own. Use food grade or organic vegetables and fruits and wash them!! Dish soap is usually enough. You can't cook off a chemical poison, so even the proper heating and canning process won't get rid of this kind of FBI!
My biggest concerns:
Botulism--12-36-hr incubation period.
symptoms: sore throat, vomiting, blurred vision, cramps, difficulty breathing, central nervous system damage and possible paralysis. Fatality rate is 70%! Spores are hard to detect because they have no smell or flavor. The spores also have a high resistance to heat and need to be boiled 20-25 minutes to die. They can be found in soil. Wash your fruits and vegetables!!
Staphyloccous: 2-4 hour incubation period
symptoms: vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, nausea. Facultative bacteria found in nose, throat, and skin of infected humans. Toxins cannot be destroyed by heat! People infected with cuts, burns or respiratory illness should not handle food. Wear gloves, and don't home can when you feel sick. You may not know you have a staph infection!
Plant and animal poison: alkaloids and organic acids are a big concern. The most common in home canning is rhubarb leaves. remove them well and wash all surfaces.
Salmonellosis: 6-48 hr incubation period.
Symptoms: Headache, diarrhea, cramps, fever. It can be fatal or lead to arthritis, meningitis, and typhoid. This illness grows in the intestines of humans and can be killed at temperatures over 165 degrees. Boiling is 212 degrees! Eliminate all flies in you home before canning, wash hands and sanitize... even under fingernails! This especially applies after using the bathroom (and your kids need special attention for diapers while you are canning--eeek! Sanitize!!) Be sure when canning to not use utensils that have not come in contact with meat (unless pressure canning).
My biggest sanitation tips:
1- Use of a sanitation solution or a food grade kitchen sanitizer for all cutting surfaces (Lysol kitchen that says food safe).
2- It is important to have strict personal sanitation during canning sessions!
3- Keep jars and lids hot and sterile.
4- Keep your hair tied back.
5- Wear gloves and an apron that you don't take in the bathroom!
6-Cook only in Boiling (not just baby bubbles) water the full amount of time.
7- If you pressure can, follow the rules given by the manufacturer of your canner.
8- If your spouse or children help you with the canning-- mine do... Make sure they obey the sanitation rules and yes...
9-Have fun anyway!



There you Go! Get the Downloadable PDF: Home Canning Safety 101

Red Bell Pepper Relish

I've been sharing some of my favorite home canning recipes here this week.  One of my favorite sandwiches on earth has 3 ingredients. Fresh Organic tomatoes, mayonnaise, and red bell pepper relish. These things coupled with hunks of my homemade bread are enough to bring tears of joy to my eyes. It's honestly one of those simple pleasures in life.

Bell pepper relish is one of those crazy sauces that once you've tasted it, you will crave it forever. Its tangy and sweet and remarkably simple to make. I make jars of it and use my home cannery so I can enjoy it all year round. I make it in the summer when bell peppers are in season! Yes it's that time. I'm loading up.

The main ingredients are bell peppers and onions. I chop them by hand, but use a food processor if you want. It goes much faster.

Red Bell Pepper Relish

6 red bell pepper, chopped or 4 c  Freeze Dried Mixed Peppers  hydrated and drained 

1 1/2 cup red onions, minced  OR  3/4 cup Dehydrated Onion hydrated and drained

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sugar(or honey)

1T salt

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/4 cup minced garlic

1 tsp ground fennel seed

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large pot and simmer 30 minutes. Spoon into clean hot jars, fill with the cooking liquid, leaving 1/8th inch head space and seal. Process in boiling water-bath caner for 10 minutes. Yield about 4 1/2 pint jars.

If you don't jar it for the winter...you can just put it in the fridge for up to one month.

Smear it on a slice of bread with some mayonnaise.

I add thick slices of those gorgeous Organic Tomato Farming treasures. Thank you Jim for letting me raid the farm! I'm in heaven now.

There you go. Love in sandwich form.

Canning Homemade Salsa

Thursday, June 2nd, 6:30 PM I'll be teaching a 

Basics of Home Canning class with  at Preparing Wisely

(144 S Mesa Dr, Mesa, AZ) 

I was on on Valley Dish  Tuesday making Skillet Enchilada Casserole . It's not only awesome in the Dutch oven while camping, but also amazing any night of the week.  I made the skillet meal using some of my homemade roasted tomato salsa, I thought it would be perfect to share the recipe here today! What do you think? Salsa season? Um yes!  Especially since the salsa I love and use has been completely depleted  by my salsa freak  adoring husband. Normally that is okay, but when I'm thinking I have a certain ingredient only to find it snorted down and gone...well let's just say I was a little flustered.  I needed to make some anyway, right?! Okay. Perk for you! I'm sharing the recipe. See...something good has come from Ace loving salsa...besides a tortilla chip famine. 

 Remember when I was hard core working on Organic Tomato Farming with Jim and I had a bazillion of these? Well, I think we're heading that way again.  If you don't have access to tons of tomatoes you grow personally, there's always the farmer's markets and local veggie stands. 

I came up with a recipe back  that made Ace literally drink bottles of salsa. He's a salsa boy. Honestly I couldn't decide if I wanted to share the recipe here on the blog or save it for bottling and selling across the country or at farmer's markets. Um...yes, we like it that much. However, I think it's safe to say that I can share a version here that's so close it's almost it...but not give away all my tricks, right?  It's a medium heat salsa I custom designed for Ace who doesn't like a lot of cilantro in his salsa. I'm a cilantro girl. I like a lot of chunks in my salsa too, but if you prefer a smoother salsa, you'll need to puree it. Ace also doesn't like, ironically, a lot of peppers in his salsa, so this one have very few. I roasted my tomatoes in the solar oven and then finished cooking the salsa on the stove. 

 Home Canning Safety 101 is a good place to start if you've never done any home canning. You'll need some equipment for this if you want it to be safe to feed to your family after sitting on the shelf.  

Chef Stephanie Petersen's 

Roasted Tomato Fajita Salsa

6 lb  blanched tomatoes , peeled half pureed, half rough chopped

2 medium onions, diced (1T olive oil)

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/2 cup roasted mild Hatch green chiles, peeled and seeded

1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2T Chef Tess All-purpose-seasoning

1T fresh cracked black pepper

2tsp fresh ground coriander seeds

1T salt

2T dry cilantro

Directions:

In a heavy 2 gallon stock pot over high heat. Add olive oil. Put onions in pan. Do not stir for 5 minutes until one side of the onions are very dark brown (as you would for fajitas). Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes uncovered until thickened. Place salsa in sterile canning jars with 1/2 inch head space. Process 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quart jars.

Hide them from Ace.  Share them with the ones you love. 

 There you go. If you go camping often, make the Enchilada Tortilla Casserole in the skillet. Tuesday's show recipes are here. The enchilada skillet meal is amazing for the fact that it's fast, easy and daggumit...a freakin' awesome family favorite!  Anyone can make it!  

Homemade Veggie Dogs and Sausages (Wheat Meat basics) Using Vital Wheat Gluten

Is it possible to make homemade veggie dogs with great flavor and less sodium than the commercially prepared pre-frozen counterparts at the grocery store? We covered the basic steps for making seitan, but if you missed that post, please look here: Meatless Wonders 101 (Wheat Meat or Seitan) We are using the same basic ratio of 1 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten

 to 1 cup water with 2 tsp Low Salt Stock Base dissolved in it (concentrated vegetable stock if you're vegetarian). I personally prefer the ham or beef base for the hot dogs.  For added color I often use 1T paprika and 1T Pero® Caffeine Free All Natural Beverage. I've found the caramel color to be fantastic by adding just a few teaspoons of the powder. I add 1 tsp liquid smoke to the stock as well as 2 tsp cracked black pepper, 1T minced garlic, 2T minced onion and a 1/2 tsp sage. Combine with the liquid.

See how dark it gets? Normally light colored gluten will look grey when cooked. I've never seen a grey meat that really appealed to me. Ever.

Cut the gluten ball into 4-6 pieces, depending on the size of the veggie dogs you prefer.

Lightly oil a foot long piece of foil. Squeeze the gluten into a thin log, then roll tightly in the foil, twisting the ends.

This recipe makes 4 "bratwurst" size sausages or 6 hot dogs. Simmer on high in a crock pot 2-3 hours. Or it also works in a solar oven! Isn't that awesome?!  I make 20 at a time in my gallon size crock pot.

When finished cooking, allow to cool. You can brown the sausages in a little barbecue sauce on the stove, or place the unwrapped sausages in freezer bags and freeze for later use.

Slice thin for pizzas or for breakfast burritos.

Other Sausage flavors

(If you are vegetarian, feel free to use vegetarian stock as the liquid and omit the bullion) All the dry ingredients are added to the dry gluten before mixing. I use the low sodium MSG free bullion if I use it instead of fresh stock:

Pepperoni: Use 2 tsp beef or vegetable bullion, 1 tsp liquid smoke or sesame oil, 2 tsp cracked black pepper, 2 tsp dry oregano, 1 T minced fresh garlic, 1T paprika (for the color...or you can use dark coffee or pero.)
Mild Summer sausage:

Use 2 tsp ham or beef bullion, 1T mustard seed, 1 tsp cracked black pepper, 1 tsp liquid smoke, 2 tsp powdered sage, and 2 tsp minced rosemary.
Breakfast sausage:

Use 2 tsp beef or pork bullion 1T minced fresh rosemary, 2T maple syrup(mixed with the liquid), 1/4 cup dry onion, 1 clove fresh pressed garlic and 1 tsp pero or instant coffee for color.
Shrimp sausage for seafood chowders:

4 tsp shrimp bullion, clam juice for the liquid, 1T dry minced parsley, 1 T dry chives, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp lemon zest and a dash of Tabasco.
Southwest Roasted Chile Sausage:

4 tsp chicken bullion and 2 tsp each:ground cumin, new Mexico Chile powder, cilantro, lime zest 1 tsp liquid smoke.
Italian Fennel Sausage:

2 tsp pork or beef bullion, 1/4 cup minced onion, 1 1/2 tsp fennel seed, 1 T mustard seed, 1 tsp all purpose Italian Seasoning, 2T minced garlic, 1 tsp ground pepper.

Greek Sausage for gyros:

2 tsp beef bullion 2 T garlic, 1T fennel seed, 1 1/2 tsp dill seed, 1T dry mint, 1T fresh minced rosemary, 1 tsp liquid smoke, 4 tsp pero or postum granules, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.

There you go.

33 year old Mountain House Beef Stew (A Taste Test...)

I have to admit something right here folks...I chef Tess, ate food that was put in this can by Mountain House when I was four years old. I'm not 15. Try 37.  Simple math aside...that's a little scary.  Not me being 37...but the freeze dried stew being 33 years old. Let's not get into my age here...because it appears I have broken the unwritten law of never actually revealing that holy number.  While we're all about admitting deep dark secrets... I have also have to admit that I was a little nervous about eating said "food-item". I thought that freeze dried beef was a relatively new thing but Troy and Tracey down at the store brought this to my attention and I am happy to report that I am now enlightened and... still alive. I'm not blind or puking my guts out. I feel great. I may give it a few more days...No, really. That's the point. I'm not kidding when I say it either...it was actually not too shabby.

Ingredient list...

Looking at the actual contents of the can surprised me a bit. I was expecting a lot less color. I was also expecting a lot less flavor.

I added the customary boiling water.

Put a lid on it. No comments from the peanut-gallery about me and "putting a lid on it."

Waited the customary 10 minutes...and look.

 Taste and texture were like regular beef stew. Not too smooshy. Flavor was mild. Perfect for most regular folks who don't like a lot of "fluff" and snazzy new flavors. It was straight forward son-of-a-gun stew. Who knew that 33 year old freeze dried stew would still not only cook fine, but taste good too?  Makes me want to buy some for the next 30 years! Mind you...in 30 years, I will never admit that I am *still* 37. You can quote me. I'll be just as well preserved as that stew...I can only hope.
There you go.

Homemade Gravy Mix (gluten free)

It's mix making Monday and I have a sneaking suspicion this is one that can really save a lot of people some hard earned cash. How much do you pay for gravy mix? It's so easy to make and so painfully cheap that once you see it, you will be shocked! It only takes a few minutes to make several of these gravy mixes and from all the sauce and soup classes I have had, this is the one mix that people say they use the most. Home basic gravy is a great skill to have. I've seen a lot of money go down the drain for those store bought convenience foods like gravy mix. Why? Most of them have flat flavor, no frills. If you look at the ingredients list, it seems like it could be much shorter. Am I right? This mix I make is still loaded with good complex flavors, but it's also quick. It's a good marrying of basic meets a bit of gourmet. My gravy isn't super thick like pudding. It's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon nicely. If you want thicker gravy, you will need to double the flour. For the best complex flavor I add my all purpose seasoning in place of the pepper, thyme, and celery seed (there's a lot more spices and herbs in mine). I always use the bay leaf. It not only adds great flavor, but is a natural deterrent for bugs. Not that it will be sitting on the shelf that long. If you prefer to use prepared stock in place of the bullion, it will be awesome! I use ultra gel because it is a sauce I can freeze well in casseroles. 

Chef Tess Basic Gravy Mix (gluten free)¼ cup Ultra gel
3T beef or chicken stock granules, MSG free low sodium
2T onion powder
2T garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground celery seed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground thyme
1 bay leafMix Directions: Place all ingredients in a half pint seal able jar. Repeat as needed however many mixes you want to make. Please note, this mix makes 8 cups of gravy.
To prepare:
Whisk mix with 2 cups milk or water (broth or stock if you omit the bullion), when smooth add 6 more cups of milk, water or stock. Simmer over medium heat stir occasionally 10-15 minutes.

Individual smaller gravy:
1T ultra gel
2 tsp bullion (MSG free)
1T onion powder
1/8 tsp ground celery seed
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
To prepare small batches:
Whisk mix with 2 cups stock or milk in a medium sauce pan with a heavy bottom. Simmer over medium heat 5 minutes.

Get the printable pdf version of this recipe here.

Corn Tortillas Using Instant Masa

If I don't buy the fresh masa dough or make the fresh masa dough, I generally use the instant method. It's called... Instant Corn Masa Flour for tortillas.  I don't know if I'll ever use it again after making the fresh from the Fresh Corn Masa this week! However, in fairness, I will probably still have busy weeks and make it using masa harina (corn flour).

4lb bag makes a very large quantity of tortillas...so it saves us a lot of money. Honestly though, the taste of homemade corn tortillas is absolute heaven. I have never once had a corn tortilla in a restaurant or off a grocery store shelf to match the tenderness of a homemade corn tortilla...ever. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to make 16 tortillas from scratch. I do that while the meat for the tacos is cooking. It's quick dinner.

This recipe for the corn tortillas is from Doña Masita. MASECA - Tortillas. 

For the Dough:

In a bowl mix 2 cups loose instant masa, 1 1/4 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt until it is all incorporated and a smooth dough is formed which doesn’t stick to your hands.

If the dough feels dry, add teaspoons of water (one by one). Once the dough is ready, cover with a wet towel so that it does not dry out.

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and form little balls.

Cover with a damp towel to keep moist.

Flatten each ball between two sheets of wax paper, using a press for tortillas and start making the tortillas. You can use parchment paper or heavy plastic wrap as well. You don't have to use a  Tortilla Press , but it takes a lot less time and energy to use one. I highly recommended it. 

Hello you lucky dough ball. Brace yourselves...

Once the tortilla is ready, cook on a hot griddle for 1 minute each side, or until the tortilla fills with air. Look how cool they look...

Again, one minute on each side is all it takes to cook them. On a large griddle I can get eight at a time going!

I keep the tortillas in a nice covered tortilla warmer until we're ready to eat.

If you decide to fry them to make chips, be prepared to let them cool completely first. Also, they make amazing enchiladas, tostada shells, taco shells, quesedillas...you name it. We went ahead and used some fresh salsa verde.With home grown cilantro...also still growing nicely in the garden. Be jealous. I walked out barefoot and gleaned some from my cilantro forest. Arizona is amazing for year round gardening. I'll be calling you in July when I'm crying in my 200 degree kitchen.

Cheese is optional...but always loved. Just like me.

There you go. Make yourself some corn tortillas!