The Chocolate Pudding That Changed Our Lives

In the days of teens, jobs and busyness, family dinners that have long been a tradition have become much more difficult to secure!

To ease this problem, since January this year we have started Wednesday night dinners. That's the one night each week everyone should be home by 6:00, ready to eat. It's the only night of the week that we know everyone is free and not working. I somehow also declared that it would be a night that I would try new recipes.


Thankfully I added that no complaints could be uttered if I tried new things that didn't work.

Now it seems every time I turn around it is Wednesday and I'm scrambling for a new recipe and something homemade, wondering what possessed me to add that last declaration!

We've had taco night where I attempted my own soft corn taco shells (not so much), tilapia with corn salsa, brussel sprouts and mushrooms, individual little salads as shown above, a new homemade mac n cheese, and the chocolate pudding that changed our lives.

One of my cooking secrets is this: when I google for a recipe, I enter the adjective that I'm feeling. For example, "yummy cornbread" or "amazing homemade pudding". Isn't that goofy? But I find the best recipes that way.

The night I made the pudding, my daughter and I tasted it before dinner. We swooned and went into fits over how good it was, then secretly (between us) ate a whole bowlful each BEFORE dinner, as we watched an episode of "Good Luck Charlie". Then we silently ate it again with the family at dinner.

We were sick to our stomachs after dinner. We ate ourselves silly with this pudding.

It's good cold, it's good warm, it's extra good with Cool Whip.

Of all the recipes I've tried, this has gotten more comments than any others. Everyone says it's the best pudding ever.

So I know you'll be wanting the recipe, so it is listed at the end of this post. But first, another little thing we added to our dinners, well most of them...topics! Since everyone is older and can think through issues on their own, someone comes up with a topic to debate. Don't be too impressed. Sometimes it lasts 3 minutes because no one is into it, and sometimes it's long and almost passionate.

We've discussed the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana, teachers carrying guns in school, what we would do with a million dollars if we had to give it away, polygamy, the new pope and many more stirring controveries. Sometimes we have extras at dinner and they have to play too. Very interesting what emerges in conversation!

Anyway, here's the recipe. (Warning, take care making this. Stay with it, don't get distracted. It takes a little care and stirring). ENJOY!!!

This recipe is from TASTE OF HOME so of course it is good.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups milk
• 2 T. butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 
  
• Directions:
• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving.  Yield: 6-8 servings