Treasure Pudding

When my oldest child was little, she didn't like milk or yogurt, so I fed her a lot of pudding to get her enough calcium. Along comes my second child who loved milk and yogurt but wouldn't eat any variety of starchy food (no crackers, cereal, cookies, etc.), so I needed a snack that would work for both of them without having to make two different snacks. Viola treasure pudding was born.

11 years have passed since treasure pudding came onto the scene and they still want me to make them treasure pudding. Sometimes they like to fill their own cups now, but they still love the surprise of what I have chosen as treasures for them.

Even our pudding hating friends like treasure pudding because the thrill of finding sweet treasures in the pudding keeps them coming back for more. Plus the treasure gives the pudding interesting textures.

• 1 small box instant pudding (your favorite flavor)
• enough milk to mix pudding according to instructions on box
• 4 dessert sized opaque cups or bowls
• Spoons. My children like demitasse spoons.
• Small goodies that would taste good with the variety of pudding you chose.
• Decoration options like sandwich cookie crumbs and gummy worms, whipped cream or cool whip, etc.

Suggestions:

Mini cookies, small candies such as m&ms, reese's pieces, nerds, all bite size candies, breakfast cereals, nuts, marshmallows, teddy bear crackers, cheese crackers, pretzels, caramels, bite size graham crackers, raisins or dried fruit pieces, fruit snacks or gummy candy, sliced fresh fruit, cookie bites, chocolate chips, etc.

You get the picture. Anything can go into treasure pudding, it just depends on what you like

In your bowls, put a variety of items at the bottom. Start with your crunchy items so they don't get soggy.

Fill bowl at least half way with treasure.

Mix pudding according to package directions, but stop mixing while the pudding is still pourable.

Pour about 1/2 cup of pudding on the top of your layered treats. The pudding should completely cover the treats, so you can't see them at all.

If you are making these for a themed event, decorate appropriately.

We like the crunched sandwich cookies with worms to make it look like dirt.

We also like straight whipped cream or cool whip.

Crunched sandwich cookies and an "x" made from straight pretzel sticks could easily go for a pirate themed party.

Add a washed plastic toy on top of crunched sandwich cookies to go with a movie theme.

Serve immediately or chill for a couple of hours to set the pudding.

These will keep covered for a couple of days, but I have never had them around long enough to have done that.

My children liked to try to figure out all the varieties of treasure I used, so I would keep a mental list and tell them if they got everything.

Bon appetit.