Here's a story for you:

When my husband and his twin brother were little boys, they loved the chocolate pudding that the lunch ladies, Mrs. Carlisle and Mrs. Bateman, made every Wednesday. These fellas would always sneak back in line to get 2nds and 3rds. The cute part of the story is that when they got chicken pox and had to stay home from school for a few days, missing Wednesday's school lunch, Mrs. Carlisle and Mrs. Bateman came to their house after lunch was over, with a big bowl of chocolate pudding for them. Sweet, huh?

And that's the introduction to my theme: pudding. Who doesn't like pudding? A consumer index estimate says folks eat about 1.28 billion kilograms of chocolate confectionery each year, with chocolate pudding contributing heavily to this total. And research says most pudding eaten in the U.S. is the store-bought boxed version.

No surprises there--convenience typically is a priority to people. But when you consider the price of boxed puddings today, along with all the mystery ingredients added to it, maybe it's time to opt for a more wholesome version.

It's not that hard to make from scratch, especially if you happen to have a container of pre-made mix on hand. There are two kinds of pudding mix: cook and serve and instant. The difference between the two is the ingredients used to thicken the pudding. Cook and serve pudding uses standard cornstarch and must be boiled with the milk and sugar over the stove to activate and thicken. Once cooled it creates the firm pudding consistency.

Store-bought instant pudding utilizes gelatinized corn starches that absorb liquid and solidify. No heating is required and instant puddings can use cold milk. While you can make your own instant pudding mix, the downside is that gelatinized cornstarch isn't is pricey and not readily available.

So, the standard homemade pudding is usually the cook type. It's easy to put together, stores in an airtight container in a cool dark place for months, and will save you lots of money. Pudding fans, take heart! Here's a scrumptious recipe every chocolate pudding connoisseur will love.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding Mix

Ingredients:

4 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups cornstarch or Arrowroot
1 to 1 1/3 cups baking cocoa (1 cup for light, 1-1/3 cups for a dark rich flavor)
1/2 teaspoon salt

For Pudding
2 cups milk or Half 'n Half
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

FOR MIX

Sift together all ingredients.
Store in airtight container or plastic bag.

TO MAKE PUDDING

Combine 1 cup of dry mix with 2 cups milk in a very heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a med boil; stirring constantly (watch closely not to burn!).
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Divide into bowls.

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.