Comfort and Joy

When we moved, we somehow lost the box containing all my essential baking supplies: salt, pepper, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, etc. I gave up looking and replaced them all, but kept forgetting to get more cocoa.

I finally remembered this week and, standing in the cold and rain yesterday, waiting with cold toes and E for M's bus, I was suddenly filled with intense longing for one of my very favorite comfort foods.

Homemade chocolate pudding.

If you've never made it, you are truly missing out. If you had, you know why my girls enthusiastically supported my idea! As soon as we got home, I set to work. Soon, we were at the table, "mmmmmmmmm-ing" and feeling truly content.

And then we began the mad rush to get ready for E's preschool Christmas party. But those moments were bliss.

Now, in the midst of all your Christmas baking, we highly recommend you pause and make some of our favorite chocolate pudding. (But be prepared to never go back to instant pudding again. Sorry, Mr. Cosby!)

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Chocolate Pudding:

Heat 3 cups of milk in a saucepan.

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 cup sugar
2 heaping T flour
2 T cocoa
2 eggs

Add a little heated milk to the mix. Gradually add entire mix to the milk, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Add 2 T margarine and 1 tsp vanilla. Option: add a dash of cinnamon. Sometimes we serve with cool whip and/or marachino cherries.
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By altering this, you can make a great chocolate pie filling. Let me know if you want that info. Personally, I'm usually just as content with just the pudding, and it doesn't involve a rolling pin! :)