better than a snack pack (Cream Puffs)

I remember once when I was little, my parents left town and I got to stay with my friends down the street.  One night after dinner, Mrs. Sale brought out dessert.  Any dessert would have been good but this dessert was homemade vanilla pudding with whipped cream on top!  My sisters and I still haven't stopped talking about it.

So, it's a little surprising that today was the first day that I made some of my own.

...then I put that into some cream puffs - in short, I promise this will be better than a snack pack :)


VANILLA PUDDING
Recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 c. milk
4 beaten egg yolks
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Add milk.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.

2.  Remove pan from heat.  Gradually stir 1 c. of milk mixture into beaten egg yolks.

3.  Add egg mixture to milk mixture in pan.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook for 2 more minutes - stirring constantly.

4.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour pudding into a bowl, place plastic wrap directly on top of pudding.  Chill for 4 hours.

CREAM PUFFS
Recipe from Aunt Betsy
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 450˚.  Melt butter in 1 c. boiling water.

2.  Add flour and salt all at once.  Stir vigorously over heat until dough forms a ball that doesn't separate.

3.  Remove from heat.  Stir in eggs one at a time - beating after each until smooth.

4.  Drop by heaping tablespoons 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.

5.  Bake at 450˚ for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325˚ - bake for 25 more minutes.

6.  Remove from oven.  Split open.  Turn oven off and return cream puffs to the oven for about 20 minutes to dry out.  Cool on rack.

7.  Fill with vanilla pudding.

8.  Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top to make it look pretty and enjoy!