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If there is one thing that is near and dear to my heart - and my waist line, Im sorry to say - its cooking. I can cook almost anything. And a lot of it, I unfortunately cook without a recipe.

Its a hold over from my days of studying chemistry - my lab partner and I had a rule: If a little bit is good, a shit load will clinch it. I learned what I had to measure, and what I didnt, and thus was able to shortcut my efforts with a scale and graduated cylinders. And I oftentimes do that with my cooking. I measure what I have to, and the rest I do by sight and feel.

But when I became quite ill a few years ago, my daughter was worried about how she was going to get fed if I died, so I started to write a cookbook. We smilingly called it "The In Case I Die" cookbook. Over the past few years, Ive added to it, and Id like to share some of it with you. And then, I hope over time, youll share some of your favorite recipes with the rest of us. You can submit your recipes to me at: kathleen@thecheers.org And if you have a story about them, all the better. Please tell me the city and country you live in with your name.

I made these just a few days ago, and they were just perfect, but you have to make sure to let the dough rest after mixing for at least 30 minutes.

Tortillas

6 cups wheat flour + extra

10 Tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups hot water

Cut the shortening into small pieces, and add the flour slowly, mixing it in until the flour and the shortening are completely mixed together. I use a Bosche mixer for this, but it can be done with a food processor or by hand. Add the salt, and mix it in well. Then all at once, add the two cups of hot, but not boiling, water and mix very well. You will have a dough that seems a bit too sticky to work with, but have faith!!! Either leave it in the covered mixing bowl, or wrap it in a piece of plastic or a floured towel. Let it rest for AT LEAST 30 minutes. When you look at it after it has had a nice nap, it will be much more firm and less sticky. Its rather like magic. A few million Latinas cant be wrong.

Now flour your board and rolling pin lightly, and pull the dough off to form balls about the size of a golf ball, or about 2 to 3 cm in diameter. Flatten it, and roll it out into a nice circle, but dont go too thin - it makes them hard to handle. Cook on a flat surface over medium heat for about a minute on each side - until nice and light brown. It wont get light brown all over - just in spots.

These are wonderful used as a burrito or just with beans and rice. Of course, warm and slathered with a bit of butter is pure heaven also. These got my children to be quiet and eat for a full half hour. Enjoy!

Measure Conversions:

Flour - 1 cup = 125 gm

Water - 1 cup = 250 ml liquid measure

Salt - 1 teaspoons = 5 ml dry measure

Shortening - 1 Tablespoon = 15 ml dry measure