Be Jolly By Golly! Blogfest

Hi all, I'm joining in on the Be Jolly By Golly Blogfest, hosted by Jen and Melissa.  And I'm getting it in under the wire.  I was working/interviewing, getting physical therapy for my arm, fighting off snow and taking the family out to eat.  So it's a busy season.

Obligatory festive decorations.  My camera is dying and I don't get very good pictures (or maybe that's just my excuse for a really crappy camera eye).

I've posted about my springerle before, so I thought I would try a different twist and post a different cookie (well, candy) recipe.  This was my favorite treat at my grandmother's house.  She was the kind of person who made 6 dozen each of twenty different kinds of cookies and fudge (I am not kidding), but this was the standout for me.  No matter what else I ate, I had to eat one of these.  Maybe it was the total of two sticks plus two tablespoons of butter in it.

Napoleon Creams

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. chopped nut meats

Combine first four ingredients in a double boiler.  Heat over simmering water until butter melts. (you must do this, it will not work otherwise)  Add egg, cooking until mixture thickens (add in a thin stream to stop the egg from curdling), about 3 minutes.  Blend in crumbs, coconut, and nuts.  Press into a buttered 9 x 13 in pan.  Chill.

1/2 c. butter, softened
3 Tbsp. milk
1 (3 1/2 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding
2 c. powdered sugar

Cream butter with pudding mix, milk, and powdered sugar until creamy and fluffy.  Spread evenly over bottom layer.  Chill.

1 6oz. pkg. of chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. butter

Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl (follow the melting directions on the package for melting the chocolate chips in the microwave, this worked well for me).  Spread over vanilla layer.  Chill and cut.

Now for the beverage, which doesn't necessarily go with the cookie, but that's just fine and dandy.  One of my good friends is Irish and she introduced us to hot whiskeys, which are excellent on cold nights.  This is the best warm alcoholic drink I've had.  I also like spiced wine, but this takes the cake on a cold night.  Sorry we don't have a lovely picture.  We usually drink them up fairly quickly.

Hot Whiskey

Whiskey (preferably Jameson)
Boiling water
Scant teaspoon of sugar (white works best, or a sugar cube is good)
Lemon, sliced
Whole cloves

Pour a bit of whiskey in the bottom of a heat proof glass (Irish coffee glass is a good one for this, though we also just use wine glasses).  Pour according to taste, I can't tell you exactly how much, I do it by sight and feel.  Add the sugar at the bottom and stir a bit to mix it up some.  Cut the lemon slices in half and stud each section in the slice with a whole clove.  Drop it in the bottom of the glass.  Pour the hot water over all, filling about half to two-thirds of the way up the glass.  Stir with a spoon.  Let cool a bit and enjoy!

Be Jolly By Golly, and check out the rest of the participants here and feel full of holiday cheer!