Failure and Procrastination Foster Success

I stumbled upon a youtube video when I  was searching for the correct way to fold tamales. The day prior to finding the video I assisted someone with folding tamales. I may not have been 100% successful in my new found adventure, but there was a large bag of masa laying around after.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuBdERCgIdI&feature=BFa&list=ULHFUeRRtZGxA&lf=mfu_in_order

Since I could not get this tortilla making scheme out of my mind, and had an extra day off for the holiday, I set out to make them up with the left over masa. Then the idea of enchiladas popped in the ol' noggin. I was sold on the concept and tortillas were a definite.

reaching correct consistency

 

Just like the lady says in the video...its ready when it imprints

I followed the super simple instructions from the video above. I don't have a tortilla press, but I did not let that get me down. I found a piece of cedar I had laying around, used two pieces of wax paper and pressed the wood down as evenly as possibly. This method did not provide the most uniform tortillas, but it worked better than the previously tried of using a rolling pin. It really takes a smoosh all at once operation. But a puffed chest was filled after making my first ever round of 'tillas, and I am one proud tortilla maker.

On ye griddle

stack of 'tillas

And what better thing than tossing those freshly made tortillas in a little enchilada sauce (I went simple and used Trader Joe's), stuffing them with marinated and browned tempeh, topped off with the rest of the enchilada and a vegan cheese sauce. The flavors that filled the kitchen were spectacular and caused major drooling. To accompany the 'chiladas I refried a bit of black beans and left over black eyed peas. What does this produce? A magical, taste bud liking bliss. Oh, yeah.

Time for dinner

BUT, before the thoughts of grandeur for a yummy dinner, I fulfilled the urging to build since it had been so long since something of this nature occurred.  Since I tossed the large greenhouse idea I created the the bathroom/Arizona room into a plant paradise equipped with a nursery tray. The free wood is coming to an end, but I had a few Mexican stamped pieces that I used along with a couple of cedar planks I had lying around. And viola! A tray to hold the little baby seedlings during the next couple of cold months. Three of the four walls are plastic covered glass for the winter, so warmth will be had for the little soon to be plants.

tomatoes and flowers and herbs

I guess all one needs is an extra day off from work to accomplish good foods and building to foster the growth of good foods. Could someone tell my boss? :)