#TuesdayTreasure: #HolidayRecipeandRomance with Diana Rubino

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Tuesday Treasure of 2015!

This is the time of year most of us reflect on the months past and plan to do better/different in the future. That's all good and well, but this year, why not make a list of small changes instead of huge goals that you've made over and over and not accomplished?

For instance...instead of losing XX # of pounds, how about exercising 15 minutes a day. This can be anything....jumping jacks, marching in place, stretching...anything to get moving. Another idea I heard about was to take an empty jar and every day or week, write a short note of the good thing(s) that happened, then at this time next year, reflect on those. This is a wonderful way to remember to be grateful and to acknowledge the good things God does for you.

I'm thinking I might do this!

Another wonderful idea would be to try something new every week or month.... take an art class or sewing class or try out a new recipe.

With that in mind, I bring to you, Diana Rubino with another recipe from her book, Around the World in 80 Meals; The Best of Cruise Ship Cusine which can be purchased at Amazon.

Puff Pastry

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup plain bleached cake flour

6½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled

1½ teaspoons salt

1 cup ice water

Instructions

Dice butter sticks into ½ -inch cubes.

Put flour in mixing bowl.

Add butter and salt.

Blend flour and butter together until butter broken into small lumps.

Blend in water and mix until dough clumps roughly together but butter pieces remain the same.

On a lightly floured work surface, quickly push, pat and roll dough to form a 12-inch by 18-inch

rectangle.

Lightly flour top of dough.

Using a pastry sheet, flip the bottom of the rectangle up over the middle.

Flip the top of the rectangle down to cover it.

Lift the dough away from the work surface using a pastry sheet.

Clean the work surface and lightly.

Return the dough to the work surface. Set it with the top flap to your right.

Lightly flour top of the dough, and push, pat and roll again into a rectangle.

Repeat folding as above. (Each "roll-and-fold" operation is called a "turn".

Repeat process 2 more times. (4 "turns" in total).

After the last "turn" you will see flakes of butter scattered below the surface on the dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a plastic bag.

Refrigerate 40 minutes.

Repeat “turn” process 2 more times.

Let dough rest 30 minutes.

Dough is ready for baking when rubbery and difficult to roll.

Sounds yummy!

While you're trying out her recipes, check out Diana's latest release, From Here to Fourteenth Street which can be purchased from The Wild Rose Press  Amazon Kindle  Amazon Paperback

It's 1894 on New York's Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita's father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. As Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn't commit, they know their love can survive poverty, hatred, and corruption. Vita is based on my great grandmother, who left grade school to become a self-made businesswoman and politician, wife and mother. 

About Diana....

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre. Visit me at www.dianarubino.com, www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com

Well friends, hope you enjoyed this latest (and last) Holiday Recipe and Romance post and hope to see you again for Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT