Microwave Mochi

Mochi is a Japanese sweet made with glutinous rice flour. I don't know how close to the actual thing this recipe is, but it's ridiculously tasty, and causes much glee in the creation process (it's highly reminiscent of slightly melted gummi bears in texture).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb glutinous rice flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 cups
• Food coloring, if desired
• Potato starch
  

Directions:

• Butter a large, microwave safe dish.
• Mix rice flour, water, and sugar together in dish with wire whisk until smooth.
• Add food coloring (if desired).
• Cook in microwave on high for 14 minutes.
• Let cool. Use rubber scraper to loosen edges.
• Sprinkle potato starch in another pan. Dump cooked mochi into pan. Sprinkle more potato starch on top (to prevent stickiness).
• Cut into pieces with a plastic knife.

Easy & Delicious Chocolate Pudding

Yes--it's a from-scratch, homemade pudding that is really, really good! I made it for the first time yesterday and was delighted with the results :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving.
• Yield: 6-8 servings.