A Puddin' Party

Watching my son finger paint in the bathtub, I realized he hadn't yet experienced one of my all time favorite activities as a child: pudding painting. As soon as I mentioned the idea, my son began laughing and insisting that it was "So silly, mommy." Admittedly, I have historically bought chocolate pudding mix, forgetting how ridiculously simple it is to make. Most recipes include an egg, but since my kids are allergic, I simply dropped it from the recipe. The final version wasn't necessarily award-winning (it wasn't rich enough), but it worked beautifully for painting (and licking off of fingers). For parents who want to avoid a mess, a friend shared a great idea: Tape paper in the bathtub, give your children the pudding and let them have a great time, just washing them and the bathtub off when you are done.


Chocolate Pudding
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 cups whole milk

Heat it all up, whisking frequently over medium heat until it is thick about 3 to 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, and put it in the refrigerator waiting until it cool to eat (and play with it!)