Strawberry Napoleon

We had a lovely Valentine Dinner, Beef Wellington (step by step post coming next week), roasted asparagus and for dessert a beautiful Strawberry Napoleon.  This was easy to make but made a lovely presentation

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed about 40 minutes

16 oz. strawberries sliced and sprinkled with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
     set aside 4 whole strawberries for garnish

1 package instant vanilla pudding prepared with 1 cup milk

1 16 oz container whipped topping

1/2 cup confectionery sugar and 2 

PUFF PASTRY

Thaw according to package directions

Cut int 3 strips along fold lines

cut each strip into 3 sections

bake according to package directions and allow to cool

Separate each piece into a top and bottom-set aside

STRAWBERRIES

slice strawberries

sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside

FILLING

Prepare pudding as directed using only 1 cup of milk

add 16 oz container of whipped topping and blend thoroughly

cool

GLAZE
Prepare glaze shortly before assembly

MIx confectionery sugar with milk to create  thin glaze

TO ASSEMBLE

Place one piece of puff pastry on a serving plate

top with pudding mixture

top with a second section of puff pastry

add more pudding mixture

top with strawberries

add another layer of puff pastry

drizzle with glaze

add a whole strawberry and a dollop of pudding to the plate

dust with confectionery sugar or red sugar sprinkles

Enjoy

Cookie Excahnge

Every year my friend Debbie Hosts a cookie exchange.  Every year I VOW to just make some tasty cookies and forgo the competition part of the evening...but it never fails, and the competitive gene kicks in.  This year it paid off and my entry won FIRST prize.  I called it "Wanna Play some Reindeer Games?"

I simply made cupcakes, iced them with brown butter cream icing and topped them with a gingerbread candy melt nose, edible candy eyes and pretzel antlers.  

I secured the red-hot with a dot of red icing for a Rudolph nose.

Looking back I wish I had only made a few of them with red noses...

I displayed them on a large cloth checkerboard, scattered around some playing cards, dice and dominoes.  

It was easy and fun to create and, like I said...I WON!

Not to be outdone, my 15 year old DD was also invited to a cookie exchange.

She created these mini cups of cocoa using a graham cracker base, marshmallows topped with icing dipped in chocolate sprinkles.  The handle is the top part of a mini-candy cane.  She didn't win but I think she should have!  So cure and actually tasty to boot!