I wanted to let you know February 24th is National Tortilla Chip Day. Now, I have a fun fact to share with you. Did you know Tortilla Chips were initially an afterthought, a simple snack made with leftover Tortillas? Tortilla’s are crispy triangles of deliciousness which soon became a nationwide sensation, and that is why on February 24th, we celebrate these Salty snacks on National Tortilla Chip Day. Whether you eat your Tortilla Chips plain or dip your Tortilla Chips in a spicy Salsa, Tortilla Chips bring the fiesta to any occasion.
National Tortilla Chip Day Activities
- I’m sure you know you can purchase good Tortilla Chips at your local Grocery Store or Mexican Restaurant which would be some of best Tortilla Chips that can be had. Did you know Tortilla Chips are very simple to make at home?
- If you have the means and the opportunity today stop by your local Supermarket and grab a bag of Tortilla Chips with Salda or Guacamole. Sometimes, people enjoy Tortilla Chips by themselves. There is no, shame in this Chip game is there?
- Tortilla Chips are the perfect party food, so throw them a big party! Host a fun night with friends and family, and have each person bring there type of Tortilla Chips and Salsa. Did you know there are blue Corn Chips, Organic, Salted, Unsalted, and many more varieties. If my family comes to the party we will bring Tostito’s Scoops and Queso.
Why People Love National Tortilla Chip Day
Tortilla Chips are the perfect vessel for any Salsa including Mild, Medium, Strong, Corn, Peach, Chunky and even Thin Chips. The salty, crispy Tortilla Chip complements each of them, bringing out their unique flavors and bringing the Chips to our mouths.
These crisp, delicious, Corn treats are perfect for sharing with your friends and nothing makes a party like a bowl of Salsa and a bag of Tortilla Chips and they’re also an ideal snack for when you’re alone on your couch in your pajamas.)
Nachos without Tortilla Chips is just a gooey mess and we all know Tortilla Chips make the dish, and Nacho’s is one of the best foods in existence. For me this alone makes the Tortilla Chip a national treasure doesn’t it?
Recipe for Homemade Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
Kosher salt (or other coarse salt), to taste
About 3/4 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil (more or less depending on how many chips you are making)
Corn tortillas (each tortilla will make 6 chips)
Fried Tortilla Chips
- Dry the tortillas: The tortilla chips will fry better if they are a bit dried out first. Either leave the whole tortillas out overnight, exposed to air so they are stale the next day, or dry them out a bit in the oven or microwave. To dry them in the oven: lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes or 200°F for 10 minutes .Or lay them out in a single layer (working in batches) on a paper towel in a microwave oven and microwave them for 20 to 60 seconds, depending on how strong your microwave is and how many tortillas you are drying .You don’t want them crisp at this point, just as dry as they would be if you left them out overnight.
- Cut each tortilla into 6 triangle shaped wedges
- Heat the oil in the pan:Pour oil into a medium skillet to a depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. (Make sure you are working with a completely dry pan or the oil will sputter as it heats.)Heat the oil on medium high heat until a small piece of tortilla placed in the oil sizzles, about 350°F. If a small tester piece of tortilla browns too quickly, the oil is too hot. Remove the pan from heat to let the oil cool a bit before continuing.
- Fry the tortilla chips: Place a paper towel on a large plate and have several other paper towels ready. Place a handful of tortilla triangles into the hot oil, in a single layer. Use metal tongs, a metal slotted spoon, or long wooden chopsticks to distribute the tortilla triangles. Be sure they aren’t overlapping and that all sides get coated with oil. Fry for about 2 minutes until the chips just begin to lightly brown and get firm, and are no longer pliable. Move the chips to a paper-towel-lined plate:
- Use the tongs, a slotted spoon, or wooden chopsticks, remove the chips from the oil to the paper-towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle with salt. Place another paper towel over the top of the chips to be ready for the next batch. Continue to cook the chips, working in batches, placing the freshly fried chips over a new layer of paper towel each time, and sprinkling with salt. When the chips are all fried, pat any excess oil from them with a fresh paper towel, and eat! These chips are best eaten when warm and freshly made.
Tip!
As soon as you put the tortilla triangles into the hot oil, because you are working with such a small volume of oil, the oil temperature will lower. You can compensate for this by increasing the heat to high. As soon as the chips begin to color, reduce the heat to low, so the oil doesn’t overheat in between batches
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
