Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron (DFZ #3)

Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb: They say family always sticks together, but when you’re your dad’s only lifeline and the whole world—humans, dragons, and gods—wants you dead, “family bonding” takes on a whole new meaning.

My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m in way over my head. I thought getting rid of my dad’s bad luck curse would put things back to normal. Instead, I’m stuck playing caretaker to the Great Dragon of Korea. That wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t such a jerk, or if every dragon on the planet wasn’t out to kill him, or if he was my only problem.

Turns out, things can always get worse in the DFZ. When a rival spirit attacks my god/boss with the aim of turning the famously safety-optional city into a literal death arena with Nik as his bloody champion, I’m thrust onto the front lines and way out of my comfort zone. When gods fight, mortals don’t usually survive, but I’m not alone this time. Even proud old dragons can learn new tricks, and with everything I love falling to pieces, the father I’ve always run from might just be the only force in the universe stubborn enough to pull us back together.


Read as an audio book.

Book three in the Detroit Free Zone series featuring Opal Yong-ae. This series straddles the fence between being YA and a more mature read. Though even that observation is subjective when compared against other YA books. But, in my humble opinion, this could tumble either way.

I picked this one up because I needed something that was escapism, I didn't have to think about the plot, and I could just zone out to on my commute. This book begins where book number two - Part Time Gods - concludes. Opal and her Father have been in hiding for the past eight weeks with the help of the DFZ, Opal is continuing her Shamanic training, but the Great Youg is not healing as a dragon should. Opal makes a poor decision (surprised anyone?) and our cast of characters is off and running.

I basically enjoyed this latest installment. The supporting characters keep me coming back (Opal...not so much), the plot(s) are engaging enough if not sometimes built on poor decisions by the main character, and the world building is interesting. Detroit - who writes about a future Detroit?!?

What drops this from a four or five star review to a solid three is the repetition. So. Much. Repetition. I don't know if this comes across on the written page, but I know that a nine hour book could - nay should - have been six, if there wasn't so much repetitious dialog. And I'm referencing both internal dialog and vocal. I fully admit to hitting the "skip ahead" button more than a few times.

The other item that dropped my star rating was Opal's flip-flopping emotions. One moment it was "We can kick some Arena God ass!" and the next sentence would be, "We're doomed, this is it, the end of everything we've worked for...". I would have been pulling at my hair with both hands if I hadn't been driving.

This is not a stand-alone book. As I noted above, book three begins right where book two leaves off. There are some interesting and engaging aspects that keep me coming back, and there are a couple of aspects that drive me a bit batty. Recommended with some reservations.

View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 5/18/2020

Well, we fell behind getting the recipes posted last week so this is catch-up.   Enjoy!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, N. Dakota

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover catfish stew (S) Glazed meatloaf
Sun (L) general leftovers (S) meatloaf
Mon - meatloaf
Tues (Husband out) me - Olive Garden take-out
Wed (Husband out) me - leftover Olive Garden
Thurs - meatloaf oops, ate the extra on Mon leftover olive garden instead
Fri -leftover Olive Garden

Lunches - hummus sandwiches

Glazed Meatloaf (modified from Cooks Country)

I had a hankering for meatloaf.  I had everything on hand but a pound of ground beef.  Easily added to Friday's grocery shopping list and I was set. 

A couple of modifications to this recipe:  I don't own an 11 cup food processor so everything was done by hand.  I swapped out ketchup for some chili sauce I had in the fridge - I LOVE the flavor of chili sauce so I recommend going with that.  I did add some leftover green pepper in the fridge - perfect place to use it up.

I had my doubts about the whole broiling bit (mostly because I don't have good luck broiling things), but it worked well and I had a lovely thick glazed on top.  When all was said and cooked, this was good.  This hit the spot, I had plenty of leftovers for the week (serves 8 would be a good estimate), and this would be perfect for family or informal company.   Highly recommended.

Serves 6-8.

Glaze
1 cup chili sauce

photo from cookscountry.com

¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon hot sauce

Meatloaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅔ cup Saltine crackers, crushed (about 17 crackers)
⅓ cup whole milk
1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dried thyme
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper                                                                                 


MAKE GLAZE
Whisk all ingredients in saucepan until sugar dissolves. Reserve ¼ cup glaze mixture, then simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

COOK VEGETABLES
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with cooking spray. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to large bowl.

PROCESS MEAT (I don't have a food processor, so I smashed saltines in a ziploc bag, then combined everything by hand).
Process saltines and milk in food processor until smooth. Add beef and pork and pulse until well combined, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer meat mixture to bowl with cooled onion mixture. Add eggs and yolk, mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper to bowl and mix with hands until combined

BROIL
Adjust oven racks to upper (about 4 inches away from broiler element) and middle positions and heat broiler. Transfer meat mixture to prepared baking sheet and shape into 9- by 5-inch loaf. Broil on upper rack until well browned, about 5 minutes. Brush 2 tablespoons uncooked glaze over top and sides of loaf and then return to oven and broil until glaze begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

BAKE

Transfer meatloaf to middle rack and brush with remaining uncooked glaze. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until meat loaf registers 160 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest 20 minutes. Slice and serve, passing cooked glaze at table.

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Strawberries  (Edible Austin magazine, Mar/Apr 2020)

This magazine arrived with our Texas wine club shipment and several recipes popped out at me.  As grocery shopping day was imminent, and all really needed was berries and whip cream, this was a go.  A very tasty recipe, pretty easy to assemble, and made enough for 8-12 servings.  Which, honestly, was a bit much for two of us, even after I served some to my Folks.

One teeny observation, there was no salt in the biscuit recipe and I could tell almost immediately.  I recommend adding a small amount just to help all the flavors behave.  

Recommended!

photo from edibleaustin.com

 large biscuits or 12 small

For the strawberries:

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. water

2 T vanilla bean past or 1 whole vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped

1 lb strawberries, trimmed and diced

For the  biscuits:

3 c. all-purpose flour

4 t. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (not in original recipe, but I thought after, they really needed a bit of salt)

2 c. plus 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream.

1/4 c. turbinado sugar,

Homemade whipped cream option:

1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

Assemble the strawberries:

In a large heat-proof bowl, combine the sugar and water.  Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between until the sugar is completely dissolved.  This can also be done on the stove-top over low heat.  Allow to cool.  Add the vanilla paste (or vanilla bean seeds) and strawberries.  Set aside.

Assemble the biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 450* an line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder baking soda (and salt).  Whisk together.  Gently stir in 2 cups of the cream into the flour mixture until a soft dough forms.  Be careful not to overmix. 

Drop dough onto prepared baking sheets.  Brush with the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream and sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.  Bake for 10-12 minutews or until the tops are golden brown an sugar has caramelized.  Allow to cool slightly and transfer to a cooling rack.

Assemble the whip cream:

Vigorously whisk the heavy cream (by hand, with a hand mixer, or use a stand mixer) in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.  Whisk in a few tablespoons of the strawberry sugar liquid adjusting to taste.

Assemble the biscuits:

Gently split each biscuit with a fork and top with a dollup of cream and spoonfuls of tablespoons of the strawberries, draining off the liquid.

Recipe notes: Biscuits will keep in an airtight container for up to one day.  To serve the next day, refresh biscuits in a 350* over for 3 minutes.  You can perpare the straberries up to two days in advance, and we recommend using any leftover syrup for cocktails or lemonade.

Broccoli and Cashew Salad (modified from Julia's Album blog)
I had this pinned for a while and decided this would be a good accompaniment alongside grilled brats over the weekend. Something different than potato salad at any rate.   Because I decided to make this at the last minute there was no way I was getting a ripe pear, so I skipped, which was kinda a bummer.  I also don't care for onion in my salad so I skipped.  Cashews get sprinkled on top before serving so I don't end up with soggy cashews.  Very off-putting. 

All-in-all, this was good.  The dressing was runnier than I care for, but the flavors were all there.  I also forgot to add my cashews when I served the leftovers.  Argh!  If you're adding a pear, you'll need to plan in advance so your pear has time to ripen a bit.  Recommended.

Serves 6-8 (I had closer to six servings)

Creamy Salad Dressing:

photo from juliasalbum.com

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream, kefir or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup honey , softened or warmed up
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
5 cups broccoli florets , chopped into small bites
1 apple , cored and diced
1 pear , cored and diced
1/4 cup red onion , diced
1 cup cashews , toasted or roasted
1 cup dried cranberries

In a large bowl, combine together chopped broccoli, diced apple, diced pear, diced red onion, cashews (toasted or roasted) and dried cranberries.

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream (or kefir or Greek yogurt), lemon juice, honey, and salt. Note that honey should be soft and runny, warm it up if needed, so that it mixes easily. Whisk the ingredients until well combined and smooth. Add salt if needed.

Add the dressing to the broccoli salad and stir everything together.
Top with cashews before serving.

Recipe Review from 5/11/2020

I love leftovers.  I love being able to make a pot of something on the weekend or a easy weeknight, and it's ready in the fridge for the rest of the week.   There's an immensely satisfying feeling of being able to come home from work, plop the bags down, and either have dinner on the table (compliments of the Husband) or dinner can be on the table in 15 minutes.  Leftovers are a wonderful thing.  

Just two notable recipes for this past week.  The salmon packets are a long standing go-to.  I'll have to see if I've posted the recipe in a past year.

Tucson Botanical Gardens photo from scifiwithpaprika (C) 2020

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Out (S) Lentil and Chorizo Stew
Sun (L) leftover stew (S) catfish court bouillon
Mon - leftover catfish stew
Tues - leftover lentil stew
Wed - leftover catfish stew
Thurs - salmon packets (repeat)
Fri - leftovers

Lunches - hummus and cheese sandwiches (me) lox on bagles (him)



Slow-Cooker Lentil and Chorizo Stew (modified from Cooks Country)
A great recipe that is so incredibly easy - chop, plop, walk away.  This had a little zing! to it, so if you aren't compatible with heat, maybe skip the cayenne.  One cup of lentils doesn't look like it's going to be nearly enough, but trust the quantities, it was perfect.  This would be good with corn bread, rustic bread, or even naan.  Recommended!

Serves 4-6

photo from cookscountry.com

4 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
8 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
½ cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme  (I used 1 tsp dried thyme)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook until lentils are tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve.

Cooks Country Recipe Tip: For the best results, use a dry-cured Spanish-style chorizo in this recipe. If Spanish-style chorizo is unavailable, you can substitute Portuguese linguiça sausage.



Catfish Court Bouillon (modified from Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations)
I liked the simplicity of this.  At first glance this seems like a complicated recipe with a huge ingredient dish, but it's really not complicated.   While the bacon was cooking, I prepped the onion, peppers, celery and garlic.  While those were browning I prepped the parsley, jalepeno and tomatoes.  Into the pot! Add everything else, bring to a boil and simmer.   Time to clean up and make the rice!   Catfish goes in, set the table, and wa-la!  Dinner is served and the kitchen is basically clean.

The flavors in this are wonderful - little bit of heat (and I do mean just a little), sweetness from the Trinity, catfish isn't overwhelmed by everything else, and the nutty rice (I used brown rice).   Leftovers were just as tasty as day of, maybe even a bit better after the flavors married.

Recommended.

Serves about 6 with rice (I had three meals for two)

4 strips of bacon, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green bell peppers
1 cups diced celery
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped parsely
1 tsp dried thyme
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 tbsp "Dry Roux Flour"  (flour that has been 'cooked' or 'baked' a head of time to a lovely golden brown or even dark brown color)
4 cups seafood or chicken broth 
2 bay leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
2 lbs catfish fillets, cut into 1-2" cubes
4 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1 cup sliced green onion (I did 4 scallions)

My notes - I baked/cooked the 2 tbsp flour earlier in the day on the stove.  Kevin does have recipe where you bake something like 8 cups of flour for part of a day in the oven, but I only wanted enough for this recipe. 

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown bacon about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel.   Reserve 1 tbsp of the bacon grease.

Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the Dutch oven and saute until browned.  Reduce the eat and add the garlic, parsley, thyme, jalapeno, and tomatoes.  Stir to incorporate and add the Dry Roux Flour and stock.  Stir the mixture and add the bay leaf, Creole seasoning, salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Cover, bring to a boil, and cook at a simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add the catfish.  Cover and let stand for about 10 minutes. 

Serve with the rice. 

Recipe review from 5/4/2020

Meal plan went out the window this past week when the Husband had to do some remote field work and was gone two nights.  With just me bumping around the house, I didn't need to make everything that had been planned.     I did get to enjoy some comfort food favorite's though - fried egg sandwich on soft bread and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Yummy. 

Glacier, St.Mary's Lake   scifiwithparika (C) 2020

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Take Out (S) take n bake pizza
Sun (L) molettes (S) pasty with veggie
Mon - leftover molettes
Tues (Husband gone for work) leftover molettes  fried egg sandwich
Wed (Husband gone for work)  cupboard scrounge/grilled cheese sandwiches
Thurs - Lentil and Chorizo Soup  leftover molettes

Fri - pasty with veggie

Lunches - hummus sandwiches and soup

Easy Waffles (Martha Stewart)
The picture promoting the recipe online, and the picture I saved from pinterest, are not the same waffle.   From my Google search, I thought I had picked a basic waffle recipe that would work in my Belgian waffle maker.  After assembling , I would say that this recipe is better for the small waffle irons (like the picture below).

Other than waffle iron appropriateness, these were tasty enough.  I did add a splash of almond extract because I love the subtle flavor it lends.   *I* probably won't make this recipe again - only becuase my Belgian waffle iron wasn't the right implement. 

photo from marthastewart.com

1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Maple syrup and butter, as desired, for serving


Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk milk and eggs; pour over flour mixture, and whisk gently to combine (don't overmix). Gently whisk in butter.

Following manufacturer's instructions, cook waffles until deep brown and crisp. (For a standard waffle iron, pour a generous 1/2 cup of batter into center, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges, and close; waffle will cook in 2 to 3 minutes.) Serve warm, with maple syrup and butter, as desired.

 Molettes (Milk Street TV show)

Because I'm finishing this posting nearly a week late, and I don't have my cookbook sitting in front of me, this is going to be a recipe call out.   I have the 2020 version with all three seasons of Milk Street TV show represented.   I would almost advocate for buying the seasons separately if possible, because my binding has already broke and ripped due to the size and weight of this lovely cook book.

From this I made "Molette's", from Oaxaca if memory serves.   As the recipe is presented, it's a black bean puree (using canned black beans for convenience, if you wish), that is spread on a nice crusty slice of artisinal bread that's been drizzled with olive oil and toasted.  This is topped with pico de gallo, mozzarella cheese, and avocado.

I modified only a tiny bit and used hoagie buns that I toasted, so a bit more sandwich like and less "bruchetta".  Simply put, these were pretty awesome.  I also got something like three - four meals out of one recipe (two meals for two of us, two meals with just myself).    I also made my own black beans rather than using canned.  Canned would be fine and a definite time saver.    Recommended!

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch (Peter Grant #2)

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  The song. That’s what London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant first notices when he examines the corpse of Cyrus Wilkins, part-time jazz drummer and full-time accountant, who dropped dead of a heart attack while playing a gig at Soho’s 606 Club. The notes of the old jazz standard are rising from the body—a sure sign that something about the man’s death was not at all natural but instead supernatural.

Body and soul. They’re also what Peter will risk as he investigates a pattern of similar deaths in and around Soho. With the help of his superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, and the assistance of beautiful jazz aficionado Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter will uncover a deadly magical menace—one that leads right to his own doorstep and to the squandered promise of a young jazz musician: a talented trumpet player named Richard “Lord” Grant—otherwise known as Peter’s dear old dad.

Read as an audio book. Will be June 2020's scifi book group selection. I jumped the gun a little bit...

I enjoyed this selection quite a bit - I mean, who wouldn't? There were Jazz Vampires. A very cool concept executed in a delightful way.

This does pick up where Midnight Riot left off: Leslie is sequestered with her family and on leave while the doctors try and fix her face and throat, Nightengale is slowly recovering from being shot in the shoulder, and we learn more about the enigmatic Molly and Peter's father, "Lord Grant". Some new characters make an appearance - the lovely Simone and, ah the police detective whose name I completely forgot. I hope we'll see the good detective in future books.

I was engaged with the plot and sub-plots from the moment I hit "play" to the very end. This just rolled right along and took me with. There are several quite enjoyable plot twists, I loved the humor, and the history aspect in this one really fleshed out the world building.

My one teeny complaint with the book was the ending(s). The first big plot reveal hit rather abruptly, a bit out of left field (was pretty awesome), but was kinda like...okay..., then the rest got a bit garbled from there. Still quite enjoyable, but parts felt disconnected from the overall story.

Bottom line - I will be reading the next one in the series.

Recommended if you like urban fantasy with a twist of jazz.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 4/26/2020

Happy May!

Gardens are looking good this past week.  I've been able to get into most beds and do some significant weeding.  My peony bed is going to need an overhaul, just too much grass got in and everything is going to have to be dug out.   So it goes  Spring project with a very tiny window.  

from a couple years ago    photo by scifiwithpaprika(C)2016

Several good recipes last week, and an attempt at making my own pie crust. 


The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Leftovers (S) Hoisin-Glazed Pork Ribs
Sun (L) Chicken Tagine (S)  Leftover pork ribs
Mon - leftover chicken
Tues (donate blood) leftover ribs
Wed - leftover chicken
Thurs -pasty? fried egg sandwich and fruit (for one)
Fri - pasty/leftover chicken

Lunches - quiche and fruit

Two more new recipes from the book this past week. I did forget to take pictures, not my forte - picture taking right when we're sitting down to eat is not a priority.

Butter-Toasted Steel Cut Oats with Apples        Serves 6
Premise is you toast some butter till brown and nutty, stir in the oats and spices and stir till fragrant, add the water and cook.  I did make this recipe in the morning and I will say this about the cookbook - the recipes come together in the time given. This was 35 minutes start to finish and most of it hands off.

This does turn out creamy right out of the pot. I/we were both a little surprised at the lack of flavor in this, it was very muted and the apples flavor hardly came through at all. Could have been my apples - they were from the co-op. Would I make this again? Yes, except I would perhaps bump up the apples and add some cinnamon. I did have leftovers and I baked to re-heat.

Chicken Tagine with Squash and Spinach         Serves 4-6
Noting, I got 4 meals for 2 people so 8 servings with Israeli couscous. I used some frozen squash from last years garden bounty, which I had thawed ahead of time. In hindsight, I perhaps should have just left frozen, because my squash rather...disintegrated. Which was fine, I guess, as it just thickened the overall mixture. I served with Israeli couscous because I LOVE Israeli couscous.

This is nicely seasoned, a balanced combination of brothy and stew-like, and not heavy

Quiche Lorraine (modified from Eating Well, April 2020)
I made this for lunches for the week and I modified to make it vegetarian, which probably means it's not "quiche lorraine" anymore. I subbed half a diced green pepper for the bacon (I had the green pepper in the fridge), I subbed a shallot for the onion (again, in the fridge), and I used Swiss instead for Gruyere because it was less expensive.

What more can I add? It's a quiche. I enjoy quiche - great for breakfast, lunch or dinners. Not sure I would make this recipe again, I prefer the Moosewood version a bit more.

photo from eatingwell.com

1 (9 inch) prepared whole-wheat pie crust
4 ounces thick-cut bacon (about 2 slices), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
I subbed 1/2 green pepper, diced
1 cup thinly sliced onion  (I used 1 shallot)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (I used Swiss Cheese)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pierce bottom and sides of pie crust with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a clean plate with a slotted spoon.   [Heat skillet over medium-high heat.] Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Scrape the onion into the crust.

Whisk eggs, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the bacon and half the Gruyère over the onion, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Set the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake the quiche until the top is golden brown and the filling is set, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.


Homemade Pie Crust (Gimme Some Oven)
I have decided to learn how to make my own pie crust. "Everyone" says it's super easy, my sister can do it...I should be able to do it. My one caveat - I would prefer no shortening. Butter or lard only. Since I don't have lard on hand, butter it is.

So we started with this recipe. First observation: the flour to butter ratio doesn't seem right. When I weighed my flour according to the direction, I had one cup. One cup of flour to one half cup butter. Hm.  I went with measuring.  Second observation, this baked up more like a puff pastry or a croissant, a very light crust, heavy on the butter flavor.  I have mixed thoughts on that.  Third observation, it did re-heat okay in the microwave at work.   Crust was a little rubbery, but not too bad.   A function of the microwave I suspect.

So while not what I would consider a success, not a failure either.  I'll be looking for a different recipe. 

photo from Gimme Some Oven

1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (115 grams) cold unsalted butter*, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup ice water

Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, sugar (optional) and salt in a large mixing bowl or a food processor. Whisk or pulse briefly until combined.

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the diced butter evenly over the dry ingredient mixture. If working by hand, use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is evenly dispersed into pea-sized (or smaller) bits. If using a food processor, briefly pulse the butter and dry ingredients together 5 to 7 times until the butter is evenly dispersed into pea-sized (or smaller) bits, then transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add water: Sprinkle the dough evenly with the ice water. Use a spatula to quickly mix the water into the dough until it is evenly combined, and the dough begins to form moist clumps. (If the dough is not sticking together, you can add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of water to help it clump.) Try not to overmix the dough.

Form a dough ball: Using your hands, quickly pack the dough into a ball (like you’re packing a snowball).

Then flatten the ball into a 3/4-inch thick disk.

Wrap and chill the dough: Wrap the dough disk tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days, until ready to roll out and use.