Vanilla Pudding & Grandmother's Bowl: A Sentimental Weekday

On this second day of the 12 Days of Valentine's Day, I propose you make one of your grandmother's recipes and serve it in a vintage vessel. Vanilla pudding? Orange pie? Shrimp dip? What was something she was known for? I can think of nothing more wonderful than honoring her with a whirl in the kitchen.

Does this Pyrex display bring back memories? I spent a few hours at "America's Largest Antique & Collectible Show" at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, WA last weekend. This beautiful collection of vintage Pyrex caught my eye. Are you a collector? I consider Pyrex a salute to the American kitchen and I love it all. I have a small collection and I regularly fight the urge to make it a bigger. (wink)

When I shared this photo on Instagram, several people chimed in that they treasure their grandmother's Pyrex bowl. Or pointed out in this picture, which one she had. I am sentimental and nothing makes me happier.

Today I am sharing my maternal grandmother's recipe for vanilla pudding and serving it in my solid aqua Pyrex bowl with lid (just like the one in this picture!). I make this pudding all the time (usually doubling the recipe) and it is a family favorite.

Vanilla Pudding 

2 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 c. milk
1 T butter (though it was written "a walnut size piece of butter)
1 t. vanilla

Put egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir together with a fork until well mixed. Pour in milk and stir. Turn on burner and cook, continuing to stir. When the mixture has thickened quite a bit, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Fill 4 small ramekins with pudding and refrigerate. 

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Irresistible Fruit Dip

When I make a dish for a crowd, I like to come up with something that is irresistible.  You know a dish is just that when you watch people taking turns to dip their skewered banana, strawberry or pineapple chunk into a bowl of orange pudding dip.  This cold fruit dip was introduced to the family by my grandmother more than forty years ago.  

This dip is best served in a separate bowl next to fruit-filled pineapple halves.  Guests are to spear a piece of fruit (pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, banana) with a toothpick and dip it in the orange pudding and then eat it.  The dip goes fast and my family stands around the bowl, spearing-dipping-eating until the beloved dip is gone. 

This year I added green grapes to the fruit salad and most of them were still left in the pineapple shell when the last dollop of dip was gone.  We were laughing that the grapes probably weren't popular because, in terms of fruit real estate, they would hold the least amount of dip when dunked.    

The recipe isn't scientific.  Add and subtract amounts to suit you, but remember that the goal is to make a dip that will cling to the fruit.  The dip will thicken a little more in the refrigerator.

Irresistible Orange Fruit Dip

2 boxes (5.1 oz) box Jell-O INSTANT vanilla pudding (*1 box is a backup, but lately I've added all of it to make really thick dip)
1 cup cold orange juice
1 cup cold milk (2% preferred)
1 cup sour cream

With an electric mixer, beat 1 box of instant pudding mix with orange juice, milk and sour cream until thick.  If the mixture seems too thin, sprinkle in more pudding from the second "reserve" box of pudding to help restore the thickness.  Chill in refrigerator until cold and thick, at least an hour.  Serve with fresh fruit and toothpicks.  And stand back.      

City Series, Birmingham, AL: Banana Pudding

Ahhh...the southern classic, Banana Pudding.  The only problem was that I'm not southern and I had never made or eaten this classic.  Yet I was in charge of helping Melanie make it for dessert at a party hosted in our honor.  Yikes!

I used a Food Network recipe and it was a hit.  This is our masterpiece at the banana stage.  I knew that once it was coated in a blanket of meringue, it wouldn't look as pretty in a photograph.  So here it is so far: Nilla wafers, homemade vanilla pudding and bananas.

Our dear friends, Melanie and Jon (who now live in Birmingham, Alabama) wanted us to experience true southern hospitality during our stay with them.  They decided to throw a dinner party, serve "bar-b-que" (which means bar-b-qued pork in Alabama) and asked their friends to bring a southern dish to pass.  I tried sweet tea, fried okra, fried green tomatoes and homemade peach ice cream...and then banana pudding! 

What a night!  It was all delicious, of course, but what I loved most was seeing the smiles, hearing the stories and feeling so welcome.

It is a big deal when a friend moves far away.  You call.  You write.  And you can only hope that they will make friends as nice as these.  Good job, Alabama.