Puddin' Mix and Mixin' Up Puddin'

Homemade pudding mix. What more does one need to say? Oh, chocolate. If you're looking for anything other than chocolate I don't know what you're talking about. I know only chocolate pudding. There is no other pudding.

1 cup of Milk Powder
1 cup of Corn Starch
1.5 cups of Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 to 1 cup of Cocoa Powder

Put all of that into a bowl and give it a thorough mix.

That's pretty much it. You have puddin' powder that can be stored very nicely in a one quart glass jar.

Mix 2/3 cup of powder with 2 cups of milk. Whisk well to incorporate the powder. Stirring constantly, bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until thick like lovely pudding should be.

Options:

* If you feel frisky substitute some heavy cream for some of the milk. Mmm.

* Vanilla goes great with chocolate. Add some extract (1/2 to 1 tsp) or split a vanilla bean and add the seeds as you cook the pudding.

* Add some strong espresso or coffee liqueur. Mint liqueur might be nice too. Bourbon. Rum. Hazelnut liqueur. Anything and everything.

* Add some dark chocolate chips. Nuts. Whipped Cream.

* Eat it off the belly of a loved one.

* Eat it off other places, but I don't need to know about that.

Pour the pudding into ramekins with lids or into one large bowl. If the skin that can form on top creeps you out, press some plastic wrap down on top of it to keep that from happening. Or melt some butter and cover the top with that. Yeah . . . that's no good for you.

Cool until refrigerator temp and enjoy as desired.

I don't know how long it will store for. Chances are it won't be around long anyway.

1. Put a zipper bag into a measuring cup or glass.

2. Dump some warm pudding into the bag.

3. Carefully remove all of the air from the bag and seal.

4. Refrigerate the bag until cool.

5. Cut open a corner and squeeze all of that puddingy mess into your gob.