Thursday Recipe - Mud Pie

Remember those summer days when you made mud in the backyard and patted it into pies? We got gourmet in my yard. Some of the dirt would make dark black mud. The sandier stuff made lighter mud pies. We mixed and twisted and patted and shaped and made lots of messes. Ah, to be a child again when mud under my nails was perfectly acceptable.

I'm watching another snowstorm moving in and wishing for spring to stay for more than an afternoon. Our weather tends to switch from freezing to roasting in just a few days. The sweet warmth of spring lasts for only a breath. Then it's mud pie season again.

This recipe is a fun one. Mix it up, switch it around, add what you and your family like. It's a cool and creamy dessert or snack perfect for those lazy summer days that are just around the corner.

So hose off your children and serve some up.

Mud Pie

2 large boxes of instant pudding mix, the 6 serving size
4 c. milk
2 c. smashed cookies, oreos or ginger snaps or vanilla wafers or whatever crunchy cookie you like
Assorted add-ins - gummy worms, chocolate rocks, jelly beans, marshmallows, nuts, chocolate chips, chopped candy bars or mint patties, toasted coconut
Assorted garnishes - gumdrop flowers, colored or toasted coconut, extra cookie crumbs or bits, teddy grahams, gummy bugs

Mix the pudding with the milk. Whisk until smooth and starting to thicken, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the cookies and up to 1 c. of add-ins. Stir gently just to fold in. Scoop into serving dishes or a big serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to one day. Garnish as desired and serve.

Suggestions:
Chocolate pudding, oreos, chocolate chips, nuts, and marshmallows for cookies'n'cream rocky road special. Garnish with teddy grahams.
Vanilla pudding, ginger snaps, and coconut. Top with chopped pecans, toasted coconut, or smashed pecan sandies.
Chocolate pudding, grasshopper cookies, chopped mint patties, and chocolate chips. Top with spearmint leaves and junior mint candies.
Butterscotch pudding, vanilla wafers, butterscotch chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped butterfingers. Top with gummy bugs or gumdrop flowers.

And the traditional mud pie: Chocolate pudding, oreos, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and enough gummy worms to make it look like dirt. Make flowers by rolling gumdrops flat for petals and leaves. Scoop pudding into ice cream cones. Sprinkle extra oreos on top to look like potting soil. Garnish with gumdrop flowers and an extra gummy worm.

Enjoy!