COOK OUT LOUD: Colorful Tortillas

Tortillas! Tortillas! Tortillas! Tortillas! Tortillas!

We love to make colorful tortillas. They are fun, healthy, delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients: 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Herbs de Provence, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups maseca, 1.5 cups warm water (90-100 degrees), food gel tubes (your favorite colors) and extra maseca for re-rolling dough or dough balls on work surface (about 1/2 cup extra)

You'll need: large bowl, tortilla press, large ziplock bag (cut in half to make 2 large squares and fold over the 2 tortilla press plates and tape on back), towel lined tortilla warmer, flipping spatula, whisk, wooden spoon, off-set spatula, disposable food handling gloves (if desired), comal (or other cast iron cooking surface), two tea-towels dampened, spray bottle with extra water

How to Prepare: Set up and measure all of your ingredients - this is called your mise en place (everything in its place). Combine salt, flour, herbs and maseca and whisk together well. Using your hands create a well in middle of dry ingredients. Pour water over this well. Pull the sides down toward middle on bowl into the well of water and then start stirring until combined. Now start kneading it with your hands. Transfer to a large cutting board or work surface. Knead dough for exactly 5 minutes. Let it rest for exactly 5 minutes. Using offset spatula score diagonal lines in dough to form 12-14 dough wedges. Roll each dough wedge into a mini dough ball and place balls under dampened tea towels (so dough doesn't dry out). If dough does seem overly dry at any point, spray a couple of small sprays of water and roll out. Take a dough ball and pinch a few dimples in it with your thumb. Squeeze a tiny bit of food gel into each dimple and re-roll dough ball. Place ball on plastic lined tortilla press (plastic prevents sticking). Flatten press and push down a few times. Lift up and gently peel tortilla off. Use off-set spatula so slice behind tortilla and remove if needed. Pass tortilla from hand to hand a few times to lighten the dough. Transfer to a pre-heated (over medium heat) comal and let cook on each side for about one minute. Note, comal handles get very hot, so have a hot-pad nearby. You can usually fit 2-3 of these tortillas on a comal at once. Transfer to a towel lined tortilla warmer (to prevent steaming/sweating) and continue until they are all done. Enjoy with butter or cheese, or use for tacos or enchiladas.

Note, if you want to make the dough a day ahead of time you can. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you are going to work with it and roll in extra maseca to remove excess moisture that built up in fridge.

Always, have an adult in the kitchen with you, especially if you are new to the kitchen. And remember to Cook Out Loud!