Quick Pudding

This is a really excellent recipe for those days that you really need a treat and chocolate isn't going to do it (not that I'm dissing chocolate in any way, shape, or form). This has a nice, warm, cinnamon-y, raisin taste to it. The recipe makes a nice desert for 6 but on treat days it makes 4 nice-sized comfort portions. The best part is that you make both parts in the same mixing bowl, that takes all of 5 minutes (just long enough to preheat the oven in my kitchen) and then it's out of the oven in 30 minutes. The second best part is that all of the ingredients are pretty standard "pantry" ingredients so there's nothing at all stopping you from making it (Nancy, I'm going to try it with the brown sugar Splenda one of these nights. If you feel adventurous and get to it before me, post it in the comments, please.)

1 c flour
1/3 c brown sugar
2 T butter, softened
2 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/3 c raisins
1/2 c milk
1 3/4 c hot water
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
2/3 c brown sugar

Measure the first 6 ingredients into a bowl and stir. Add the milk and mix. Turn into a 2L casserole dish and smooth the top. In the same bowl, combine the last 4 ingredients and stir. Pour carefully over the top of the batter. DO NOT STIR!! Bake uncovered for 30 minutes @ 350F. They say to serve it hot but if you let it cool a bit, the sauce gets thicker and you don't suffer from second degree sugar burns on the roof of your mouth (sometimes my purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others).

I think I originally got this from a Company's Coming cookbook. It's actually a lot like the Hot Fudge Monday recipe that I posted before only, you know, without the fudge (have I mentioned that I love chocolate just as much as the next girl? If said girl had a thing for lemon meringue and raspberries maybe).