Corn Tortillas

[JBaby]

Yuck. What can i do to inprove the taste of this itme. I bought deli meat and corn tortillas to make wraps. I love the tomatoe basil ones but they have wheat. Thanks

JBaby

[lizard00]

I've been wondering the same thing, and sadly, haven't come up with anything other than lots of hot sauce...

I find them to be pretty unpalatable, too.

[tarnalberry]

are you heating them (at least in a microwave, but in a skillet if you get the chance) before using them?

[GlutenGalAZ]

When I first started using corn tortialls (instead of bread) I was just using them straight out of the package and they would break and not really taste that good.

Then I started to heat them up in the microwave (found better to put in a papertowel).

Then my dad showed me how he heats his up on the stove so started to do that and OH MY GOSH they tasted SOOOO much better. When we have family over for tacos/burritos I get my griddle out and heat them up on there.

Heat them up on the stove in some sort of pan.... I use a skillet or sauce type pan (it works better with the non stick ones) heat it up to what you like. I like mine a little brown. I make wraps all the time doing this. Then I put them in a rubbermaid container to bring to work for lunch or make a peanut butter/and something and bring it when we go away for the day.

Good Luck....

[RESO]

My suggestion to improve the taste is to make your own. Yes, it's time consuming but homemade tortillas taste so much better. You can get a tortilla press on the internet or at some cooking type stores, and you can buy the masa to make them at most grocery stores. If you want some tips on how to make them, let me know.

[brigala]

Another suggestion is to try white corn tortillas instead of yellow corn. They have a smoother texture and milder taste. They still MUST be heated, however.

I toss them in the microwave if I'm in a super hurry (10 seconds or less), in my toaster oven (dedicated gluten-free only) if I'm feeling lazy but not too much of a hurry (2 minutes or so including pre-heat time), or I fry them on the iron griddle I keep on the stove if I'm feeling ambitious and really care a lot about the taste.

I most often use the microwave method when making a "peanut butter sandwich" because it's easy to spread the PB on the cold tortilla and then zap it for a second. Then the PB spreads easily after it's warmed up a touch. Sometimes I wrap the whole thing around a dill pickle. :-)

I almost never eat the tortillas out of the package without heating them, and when I do ("how bad can it really be?"), I always regret it and toss the rest of the tortilla in the microwave after the first bite.

One thing that has been a big hit around here with the whole family, as well as the kids I babysit, is a sort of soft-tostada sandwich I invented.

* Brush or spray one side of each corn tortilla with a little oil or PAM (optional -- it makes a minimal difference in taste, so if you don't have oil, want to avoid the extra fat, or are just feeling lazy, skip this step).

* Put oiled side down on cookie sheet. Spread a little (gluten-free) refried beans from a can OR chop some canned black or pinto beans in food processor and spread those on tortilla.

* Add a little (gluten-free) salsa and spread around

* Add a slice of cheese or handful of shredded cheese

* Place another corn tortilla on top, oil side up

* Sprinkle top with just a touch of shredded cheese

* Bake at about 350-400 until top of tortilla starts to brown a little.

* Serve with a side of cold salsa for dipping. :-)

-Elizabeth

[strawberrynin]

My favorite tortillas are Ole Corn Tortillas...they are inexpensive and come in a large package (and they're available at my local grocer, not some specialty store). I actually fry mine in a little bit of olive oil to improve the taste. Not enough oil to make them greasy, but to make them soft and pliable, as well as add a little flavor.

[CeliacMom2008]

One thing that has been a big hit around here with the whole family, as well as the kids I babysit, is a sort of soft-tostada sandwich I invented.

* Brush or spray one side of each corn tortilla with a little oil or PAM (optional -- it makes a minimal difference in taste, so if you don't have oil, want to avoid the extra fat, or are just feeling lazy, skip this step).

* Put oiled side down on cookie sheet. Spread a little (gluten-free) refried beans from a can OR chop some canned black or pinto beans in food processor and spread those on tortilla.

* Add a little (gluten-free) salsa and spread around

* Add a slice of cheese or handful of shredded cheese

* Place another corn tortilla on top, oil side up

* Sprinkle top with just a touch of shredded cheese

* Bake at about 350-400 until top of tortilla starts to brown a little.

* Serve with a side of cold salsa for dipping. :-)

-Elizabeth

We do something that sounds similar, but I fry the tortillas in a little oil until they're crispy, then layer pretty much the same as you, but then I nuke in microwave for a few second to melt the shredded cheddar. It was our replacement for Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza that my son loved pre-diagnosis. They're definitely crispy and need to be eaten with a fork and knife, but similar in concept and good for the summer when you don't want to heat the oven.

[PattyBoots]

I'm so glad someone else is in the same boat - I think the corn tortillas taste like unadulterated crap. I'd rather do without ANYTHING. Since I've never been a bread-y kind of person, it's been pretty easy; always eaten like 2 sammiches a month. But egad - the corn tortillas SUCK.

[ang1e0251]

Corn tortillas do suck, when cold. Ditto from me on heating them first. I actually toast them twice in my toaster, then butter them. I also make quesadillas in the skillet with 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 butter. Then add your fave toppings. Even peanut butter and jelly is good this way. I love the Tortilla Towers you bake also. I used to make them for my kids with five layers. I suggest using the toaster first so they are crisper and stack better. Or you can buy the tostada ones that are already toasted.

[elle's mom]

has anyone else tried the brown rice tortillas made by "food for life"? I find them much tastier than any corn tortilla I've tried, a little more of a chewy texture, but really good.

[brigala]

has anyone else tried the brown rice tortillas made by "food for life"? I find them much tastier than any corn tortilla I've tried, a little more of a chewy texture, but really good.

I've had the brown rice ones from Trader Joe's, and they're ok for some things but aren't pliable to wrap around anything -- even when heated. La Tortilla Factory makes a gluten-free teff-based tortilla. I had a bite of one from a friend once; she had to go all the way across town to get it and didn't have much to share. It was really good, even cold, but I can't find them anywhere around here and they don't sell them on the La Tortilla website. The only online place I could find that sells them charges an arm and a leg for shipping.

Most of my local stores carry La Tortilla brand (wheat-based) tortillas, so I think maybe I'll start a campaign for one of them to start carrying the gluten-free wraps.

If you can find ways to make the corn ones work, they're much cheaper and more readily available than rice, teff, or other tortillas.

-Elizabeth

[elle's mom]

I've had the brown rice ones from Trader Joe's, and they're ok for some things but aren't pliable to wrap around anything -- even when heated. La Tortilla Factory makes a gluten-free teff-based tortilla. I had a bite of one from a friend once; she had to go all the way across town to get it and didn't have much to share. It was really good, even cold, but I can't find them anywhere around here and they don't sell them on the La Tortilla website. The only online place I could find that sells them charges an arm and a leg for shipping.

Most of my local stores carry La Tortilla brand (wheat-based) tortillas, so I think maybe I'll start a campaign for one of them to start carrying the gluten-free wraps.

If you can find ways to make the corn ones work, they're much cheaper and more readily available than rice, teff, or other tortillas.

-Elizabeth

I agree with you, the teff ones are also really good. Not sure where you are located, but I found the teff ones in Meijer stores. The brown rice were in my local health food store.