Guest Author - Lori Phillips
A flour tortilla makes a terrific alternative to sandwich bread. Spread with endless filling choices, a tortilla rollup can be eaten on-the-go or sliced into attractive pinwheels. Sometimes, I even secure the roll-up with a wooden toothpick and deep fry them for crispy change.
Here are some great fillings for tortilla roll-ups:
*Italian Pinwheels: Spread with mayonnaise and drizzle with Italian dressing. Layer on lettuce, Italian cold cuts, sliced olives and pepperocini. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap for several hours. Remove and slice into spirals.
*Pizza Roll-ups: Spread tortillas with a thin layer of pizza sauce. Sprinkle on minced pizza toppings (pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms) and top with grated Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*Mediterranean Roll-ups: Spread tortillas with hummus. Top with shredded lettuce, sliced green olives, red onion, pepperoccini and, if desired, chopped cooked chicken. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*Mexican Roll-up: Spread flour tortillas with a thin layer of refried beans. Top with grated Cheddar or Cotija cheese and sprinkle with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and salsa. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*Chinese Roll-ups: Spread a flour tortilla with hoisin sauce. Layer on chopped green scallions, chopped cooked chicken, pork, ham or duck. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*BBQ Roll-ups: Spread a flour tortilla with a thin layer of barbecue sauce. Top with chopped, cooked meat (beef, ham, chicken), sliced red onion, sliced dill pickles and, optionally, coleslaw. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*Smoked Salmon Roll-ups: Spread a flour tortilla with herbed cream cheese spread. Layer on smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion and capers. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap for several hours. Eat as is or slice into spirals.
*Mexican Elvis: Spread a flour tortilla with peanut butter and jelly. Add some chopped bananas. Roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap until serving time *or* secure with a toothpick to prevent unraveling. Deep fry in hot oil. Drain on paper towels. Drizzle with honey.
*American PB&J: Do the same as above. Omit banana and honey. Roll up and eat as is or deep fry.
You can deep fry any flour tortilla roll-up as long as you omit the lettuce. And another benefit: Flour tortillas don't get soggy as sliced bread tends to do. Fillings don't fall out which means you can eat them with one hand while multi-tasking with the other, too.
