Chili Verde

Okay, what started out as chili verde turned out a little more like chili roja. You know how you start out with a recipe that calls for one thing that you don't have, so you substitute, then you throw in a little of this and that until what you end up with is something quite different than what you intended...that's what this is. I saw a chili verde recipe in the newspaper and thought it sounded good. However, I didn't have tomatillas so I used bottled tomatoes. That's where we ended up with red pork instead of green. It's nothing like the newspaper recipe, but that's fine. It has become one of our "go to" meals. I turned it into something that uses ingredients that I always have on hand. Aah, the beauty of food storage. I can get stuff off the basement shelves, grab a pork roast out of the freezer, throw it in the slow cooker, and end up with a very satisfying meal.

CHILI VERDE (ROJA)

1 pork roast (Pork shoulder, pork butt, bone-in or boneless...whatever is on sale!)
1 quart of stewed tomatoes
2 T. dried onions
1/3 chopped jalapeno (Add more if you can take the heat, we're wimps at this house!)
1 heaping t. taco/Mexican seasoning
1 can (4oz.) green chilies
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
3 T. flour

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker or crock pot. Sprinkle with flour and cover. Let cook on high for at least 3 hours. After 3 hours it will be done but here's a tip...the longer it cooks, the easier it will shred from the bone. You could cook it on lower heat for a longer period of time.

When meat is done, remove from pot. Cut into pieces or shred. Add back into the tomato mixture. Add a little more flour if it is not thick enough. Serve over homemade flour tortillas.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

6-8 c. flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 T. salt
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 c. warm water

1. Add 6 cups of flour to mixer with the rest of the dry ingredients and the water. Mix until smooth.
   
2. Slowly add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time. I usually use about 8 cups. The dough will still be slightly sticky. It should be dry enough to handle but you don't want it thick and smooth like bread dough or you won't be able to roll it.
   
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour. This step is important, the gluten needs to relax so you can roll it into circles.
4. Sprinkle work surface with flour. After one hour, separate a small ball of dough (golf ball size) and roll out into a thin circle with a rolling pin or shape with your hands. I think it's easier to shape it with your hands but whatever works for you is fine.
   
5. Cook on an ungreased griddle until lightly browned on both sides. 1-2 minutes per side.
6. Serve with favorite toppings. Store in refrigerator in a large Ziploc.

Secretly I would love a huge tortilla maker like a factory would have. We saw one at California Adventures and it was awesome! All those conveyor belts and perfectly round tortillas were amazing. However, that's not practical so we'll stick to the Kitchenaid mixer and Toastmaster griddle!