Just Like Mom Used to Make It: Tortillas Con Madre

If you’ve ever had a dry, papery, packed-with-preservatives tortilla, you know that not all tortillas are created equal. Because when you bite into a burrito or taco gently wrapped in a locally-made, fresh, and perfectly pliable tortilla, it’s another experience entirely. Are you getting hungry yet? If you’re not, you will be, once we introduce you to one of our newest local vendors: Tortillas Con Madre.

With a simple 5-ingredient recipe that started in the family kitchen of Lupita Nava, Tortillas Con Madre is an entirely family-run operation based in Lynden. “Con Madre” simply translates to “with mother” in Spanish, and for Lupita, sharing her recipes and creating a family biz was all done to honor her mother. If ever there was a way to honor your mom, sharing your family heritage with the community is a pretty wonderful way to do it.

Recipes for their tortillas have been passed down from one generation to the next, allowing the family to perfect their simple, but high-quality product. Made without preservatives or artificial flavors and colors, their small-batch tortillas are USDA-Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and vegan-friendly. They’re also packed full of omega-6 and -9, thanks to the pumpkin oil in their recipe. Along with the pumpkin oil, the only other ingredients you’ll find in these tortillas are wheat flour, water, sea salt, and non-aluminum baking powder. That’s it. And that’s what makes Tortillas Con Madre so special: their simplicity.

So, next time you’ve got Taco Tuesday on the brain or want to meal prep some breakfast burritos for the week, reach for Tortillas Con Madre’s simple, but incredibly delicious flour tortillas.

And if you’re eager to get cooking for a flavorful fiesta en casa, here are a couple of recipes from our friends at grocery.coop.

Slow Cooker Orange Chipotle Beef Tacos

A set it and forget it meal that the whole family will love? We’ll take an extra serving, thanks!

• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled

• 2 large seedless oranges, quartered

• 12 taco shells or flour tortillas

• 3 cups shredded lettuce

• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place the beef in a slow cooker. Stir together the tomato paste, chipotle, cumin, oregano and salt in a small bowl, then rub the mixture over the beef. Place garlic cloves and oranges on top of the meat and cover the pot. Turn temperature to high and cook for 4 hours, or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

When the meat shreds when pressed with a fork, turn off the cooker and take out the insert to cool. Use tongs to transfer the meat to a bowl to cool, and shred the beef.

Place a strainer over a small pot and strain the liquids from the cooker into the pot. Squeeze the oranges over the strainer. Bring the juices to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until reduced to a syrupy consistency.

Pour over the shredded beef and toss to coat. Taste for seasoning; add salt or more chipotle, if desired. Serve with taco shells or warm tortillas, lettuce, chopped tomato and shredded cheese.

Huevos Tortillas

You eat toast for breakfast, so why not tortillas?

• 4 6-inch flour tortillas

• cooking spray

• 2 cups chopped fresh tomato

• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 large scallions, chopped

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1/2 tablespoon cumin

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• Lousiana style hot sauce

• 4 large eggs

• salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray a sheet pan with oil, then place the tortillas on the oil, and spritz the tortillas. Bake the tortillas for 4 minutes, then flip them and bake for 3-4 minutes more. When the tortillas are toasted and crisp. Transfer the tortillas to the paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

While the tortillas bake, chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions and cilantro and mix in a bowl. Add the cumin, garlic, and hot sauce to taste.

Place a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Let the pan get hot for a minute, then spray or oil it well. Crack each egg and slip into the hot pan, leaving plenty of room so that they don't run together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until the whites are firm and the yolks are of desired doneness, 3-6 minutes.

To serve, top each tortilla with tomato mixture, then a fried egg. Serve immediately.