Swings and {Homemade} Chocolate Pudding

Happy Friday!

Did you have a good week?  We really enjoyed this warmer weather!  It rained a little too, but at least our grass is turning green!  Yesterday, we went to the park. There's one in our neighborhood, which I can tell will be such a blessing in the years to come. It was Callie's first experience (I think) with a swing.  That may seem late to all of you, but you have to understand that she's a Minnesota baby, born and raised.  And we pretty  much hibernate during the winter.  So Spring is welcomed with open arms, and so is a her first swing experience (or maybe not so welcomed).

She was pretty happy when I first put her in the swing, but was trying to find somewhere to hold on to.  Not so sure what to think.

I pushed her a little.  Okay, maybe more than just a little...but only so I could get a picture.  Poor baby. She didn't like the swing when it was moving.  That face!  Don't you want to just rescue her? That's probably what my face looked like too when I went on the Power Tower. 

Here's the after shot.  Not too happy about that one.  Don't you just love her pink vest?  It was a birthday present from Aunt Elyse... I think she got it from here.  It's reversible!  I think it will fit her next year too, what do you think?

We also made homemade chocolate pudding.

This is NOT the Jell-o kind, but the kind with real chocolate. 

It was surprisingly easy to make.  And it turned out!  If there's a way to botch a dessert, I will do it.  So believe me when I say it was easy.  So you just combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and a pinch of salt.  Then add equal parts cream and milk.  And cook until it thickens.

Then, the best part.  Add the chocolate (I used both milk and dark) and a little butter.  And stir.

And you end up with this! 

Kiley and Matt approved (recipe below).  They brought baby Avery over to our house for the first time!  The girls were wearing matching stripes.  I have a feeling they will do lots of matching clothes in their lifetimes!  Callie loves her cousin.  And Aunt Kiley. 

This weekend we are having some dear friends come to stay with us that we only see about once a year.  I think I will be making this and this for dinner, as well as a yummy Flan recipe (think latin cheesecake) that I got from my Puerto Rican friend Isabelle.  This one's a little bit trickier to make, but I will post the recipe soon!

And, as Callie would say, "baaaaab-byeeeeeee!"

Chocolate Pudding (adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe but made more chocolatey)

6 T sugar
3 T cornstarch
2 T cocoa 
pinch salt
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
3 oz milk chocolate, chopped
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 T butter

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. In a 4 cup measuring cup combine heavy cream with milk and vanilla. Whisk 1 cup of cream mixture into the dry ingredients until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Whisk in remaining cream mixture until smooth.

Place saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Whisk in butter until melted.

Using a ladle, pour pudding into six dessert cups. Refrigerate till set, about 1 hour (or eat it warm like we did).

Serve with softly whipped cream (you will have some cream left over).