I’ve always said that I would learn how to “cook” (not just boil and microwave) when I had more time. Like when I retired. Well I haven’t retired but I don’t have a J-O-B either so I have some time on my hands.
John misses Aunt Lois’ homemade pies. I miss all of her baked goodies. She puts a lot of time and love into her creations.
I’ll never be as good of a baker as she is, but her kind of talent is something for me to aspire too.
I haven’t made a pie since I was a little girl helping my Mother and Grandmothers. Besides, a big pie is a bit much for the two of us.
At the local grocery store we bought some turnovers since they are like little pies. They were OK, but they were a little pricey and not like Aunt Lois would make John said. There’s the difference; Aunt Lois’ baked goods are HOME-made.
I announced “I will make you turnovers”. John’s face lit up, “Really?” Excited at the prospect of a homemade turnover he suggested that we could buy puff pastry at the store and make them up right quick.
Oh no I said. If I’m going to try to bake like Aunt Lois’ for you, it has to be homemade pastry.
After searching the internet I found two recipes for puff pastry that I liked. Puff pastry isn’t hard to make, it just takes time.
So I kicked John out of the coach for the day and started the turnovers.
First round, combine all your ingredients and refrigerate for an hour.
Then roll and fold, and refrigerate for another hour. You do this 3 times. This is the time consuming part.
We were in a hurry to try them so I went ahead and put together some turnovers with both recipes. The first recipe we didn’t like at all, they were not flakey enough.
The second pastry recipe we liked much better but the turnovers weren’t cooked enough on the bottom even though the top and edges were brown. Also, they didn’t get as puffy and flakey as I thought they should.
Sometimes I have issues with my convection oven and figuring out the right technique for cooking a particular dish. Frustrated I gave up and said I would try to make them again in the morning with the other half of the dough.
BINGO!!!! Letting the dough set overnight and adjusting my cooking method did the trick.
YUMMY!!!
Of course John was relaying to everyone he met that I had banished him from the coach while I was making turnovers. Now those people seem sad when I come around but don’t have any turnovers for them in hand.
Guess I’ll have to make another batch just so John can go pass them out. 
Thank you Aunt Lois for being my inspiration. 
