No, that’s not instructions from a semi-literate vampire hunter; it’s today’s recipe.

#4 Daughter made some steak, according to friend Zak’s magnificent recipe, which he shared here on this blog, as a matter of fact. His secret is to massage the marinade into the meat. Makes it SO flavorful and juicy and tender…. Mmmmm….

ANYWAY, there was a tad bit left, so I made an on-the-fly puff pastry.

I literally just eyeballed amounts: all-purpose flour, salt, grated frozen butter, a dash of vinegar, and ice water. Rolled it out, folded pats of frozen butter into it, yada yada yada, how you do for puff pastry. I just did enough for one hand-pie. No, Halloween is OVER, I’m telling you! It’s called hand pie because you HOLD it IN YOUR HAND to eat it.

So, yeah, the pastry took all day, but just a few minutes of work and long times of chilling.

I cut the steak into cubes, mixed in some leftover mushrooms, and made a beef gravy from concentrate. Rolled out the pastry, plopped the filling in, wet the edges of the pastry, and folded it over, pressing to seal.

I don’t think I brushed it with anything, but I might have. Prolly water or milk.

Baked it at 400F for maybe half an hour? Maybe less? Just until it was golden brown and had no soggy bottom.

Y’all, it was my best puff pastry yet! Looka them layers! Looka that flake! Man, oh, man, was that tasty!

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Oh, go ahead. Write something grisly. Or something gristley, as you prefer.

MA