*Family Favorite*

Since my eldest son's birthday is next week (Sunday secular, Tuesday Hebrew), I decided to make a family favorite using some home-grown ingredients: Tapioca, both chocolate and Fluffy.

The recipes were gotten off the Kraft Minute Tapioca (O-K parve; look for it in the Jell-o section)...but they're yummy, and fairly quick. Naturally, we used our own fresh eggs and milk.

For the chocolate tapioca you'll need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons MINUTE Tapioca
• 3 cups milk
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 3 oz of semi-sweet chocolate (squares or chips)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the sugar, tapioca, milk, chocolate and egg in a medium  saucepan; let stand for 5 minutes (no heat).
Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to full boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred--the pudding thickens as it cools). Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla.
Cool for 20 minutes; stir. Serve warm or chilled. Store leftover pudding in the refridgerator.
Makes 6 (1/2 cup) servings.

Chocolate Tapioca Pudding

I used both Trader Joe's brand Pure Vanilla Flavor (alcohol fee) and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.

The Fluffy Tapioca Cream is a real winner! For this recipe you will need:

• 1 egg, seperated
• 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons MINUTE Tapioca
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix tapioca, 3 tablespoons of sugar, milk, and egg yolk in a medium saucepan. Let stand 5 mins. (Without heat.)
While the tapioca mixture is soaking, beat the egg while in a medium bowl (of an electric mixer on high speed) until foamy. Add the 3 tablespoons of sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating between/during each addition. Beat until soft peaks form (the eggs should be shiny and flop right over when you lift the beater out). Let this rest.
Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred). Remove from heat. Quickly stir in the egg white mixture until well blended. Stir in the vanilla.
Cool for 20 minutes; stir. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 6 servings.

Fluffy Tapioca Cream Pudding