Homemade tortillas. Photo by Anna Hewitt

Standing at the kitchen counter, chopping vegetables, stirring a sizzling pan, transforming butter and flour into a flaky crust, is a place where I feel alive, in the flow, appreciative and joyful. I love exploring the possibilities of what I can make in my kitchen instead of buying from the store. Cooking dinner can be an adventure, a meditation, a chance for deep connection with flavors, places and moments in time. It can also be a messy, never-ending slog with a side of food waste, at least when I am cooking for my kids.

Truly, there are many exceptions to the cliché that feeding kids is tedious and difficult so I’ll stick to my own experience. Like so many parents before me, I thought I knew how and what my kids would eat. I gave them colorful,  flavorful vegetables and fruit for their first solids instead of bland, boring rice cereal. When he was very little, my son loved avocado, blueberries and pesto. Before she turned 1, my daughter ate lasagna by the handful. I may have mentioned to other parents (with no shortage of pride) that if you want your kids to eat vegetables, just put them on their plate.

Don’t worry, it didn’t last. It took several years of parenting for me to realize how much and how often kids are changing, growing and embracing the world for themselves instead of the way we wish they would be. It took several years for me to realize that the common approach of deciding what they will eat and expecting my kids to taste the food that I’ve prepared didn’t work for our family, though it has been successful for so many others. Instead, I ask questions and use trial and error to determine what they want for dinner, a process which leaves me with very little energy and enthusiasm for actually cooking. But, I’ve found that when my kids feel supported, not forced, they can be more open to trying new tastes and getting involved in the experience. They have watched me cook and bake their whole lives and some days they want to join me in stirring the risotto, pouring in the pasta, filling the dumplings or purèeing the sauce.

As I write this, there is one meal that everyone in our family of four enjoys, or at least each person can find something on the table they will eat. It comes together quickly, but has enough elements that my kids can help chop and mix. We cook a pot of black beans, prepare salsa, guacamole, chopped vegetables, and if time and energy permit we make a batch of flour tortillas. My kids fight over the rolling pin and roll the dough into round-ish shapes. They watch the tortillas bubble and brown on the griddle and practice flipping them with the spatula. The soft tortillas give a warm hug to the fillings that each family member chooses and provide a moment we can all enjoy.

Flour Tortillas

Tortillas are not part of my heritage or the culture that my family comes from, so I want to acknowledge my gratitude that food is a way that we can experience so many incredible places and cultures.

Note: A combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour creates a soft tortilla with a bit more flavor, but it is fine to use only all-purpose flour.

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
Flour for rolling the tortillas

Mix all ingredients, except for the extra flour for rolling, and knead into a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rest for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.

When you are ready to make the tortillas, place a skillet over medium heat. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Shape a piece of dough into a disk. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough, adding a sprinkle of flour if the dough sticks too much. Roll the dough until it is 6-8 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick or less. Place on the preheated skillet and cook 1-2 minutes or until the dough starts to bubble up a bit. Flip to cook on the other side, the bubbles on both sides will be lightly browned.

Tortillas are best served right away, but can been kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days (reheat before serving).

Photo courtesy of Anna Hewitt

MEET THE COOK: ANNA HEWITT

I delight in preparing food to share with others, but my toughest critics and most particular tasters are my kids. In addition to being a short-order cook (I know it is frowned upon, but it works for our family), I am a detective trying to discover which foods they will enjoy and what they could possibly want to eat for dinner. Despite the daily chore of meals, I still enjoy cooking and baking and really do love sharing time with my kids in the kitchen.

I am an eager cook and baker who loves to make sourdough bread and bake pies, cookies, scones and other pastries. I am a vegetarian and I tend to a large vegetable garden at our home in Scarborough, which means using seasonal produce and herbs is a big part of my cooking. When I’m not cooking or gardening I write about my personal experiences with motherhood, creativity and living the little things in my newsletter, Basil and Honey (annahewitt.substack.com).