Indian Pudding

An old fashioned Thanksgiving Day dessert from my New England childhood. I'm pretty certain this is a regional dish. History, legend or folklore say it celebrates the Indian's gift of corn to the early settlers ~ works for me! One caution ... it is not pretty to look at really but what counts is that wonderfully, spicy burst of flavor on the tongue. Best served IMHO with at least one huge scoop of French Vanilla ice cream aaaaaaaaaaaaand much as I like it as a dessert, I also enjoy for breakfast too. :>)

4 cups whole milk ~ keep 2 cups aside
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter (yes real butter!)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat 2 cups milk until very hot and pour it slowly over the cornmeal in a double boiler and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened and creamy. Add all but the other 2 cups of milk and mix well. Spoon into a well buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish , top with the remaining milk and bake at 275 F for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until set.

NOTE ~ some people put the dish into a pan of hot water to bake. Others just cook it as it. Either way works fine. Ideally it's baked very slowly in an old fashioned bean pot. I used to do it that way but in one my many moves I lost my maternal grandmother's bean pot but Billo's (Den's late mom) 1 1/2 qt Corning ware casserole dish works just fine and is really lots easier to clean than the bean pot was.

I will make this for Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. Good gracious I hope my jeans still fit me in the New Year!