Mock Chocolate Eclairs

This is a delicious, easy no-bake recipe. I've been making it for many years, and it's a family favorite at our house. I can't believe it has taken me this long to add the recipe to my blog.

Although the recipe calls for a 16-ounce package of graham crackers, you won't use all of them. Make sure to get the instant pudding, NOT the cook and serve. This dessert is easy to make, but hard to wait until the next day when you can eat it. Have patience and wait or the graham crackers won't be soft. 

You can choose to do just 2 layers of pudding mixture with 3 layers of graham crackers OR 3 layers pudding with 4 layers of graham crackers like in the instructions. Whatever your preference.

Mock Chocolate Eclairs

2 (3.4-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix

1 c. powdered sugar

3 c. milk

1 (8-oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (16-oz.) pkg. graham crackers

Chocolate Topping

1/4 c. cocoa

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. skim milk

1 T. vanilla extract

1 T. butter

In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and powdered sugar. Whisk in milk until mixture is smooth, then gradually fold in whipped topping. Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Spread one-third of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Cover pudding with another layer of graham crackers. Continue layering and end with graham crackers. 

Chocolate topping:

Combine cocoa, sugar, and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil for 2 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and and vanilla and butter. Cool slightly and pour over the layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate overnight before serving.   

Curry Udon

When my children and I were planning a trip to Oahu a couple of years ago, my son said the one restaurant he wanted to go to was Marugame Udon. It's a chain in Japan (although it's called Marugame Seimen in Japan) that he really liked. 

The first time we passed the restaurant in Hawaii, the line was out the door, down the street, and around the corner. For real. It's so popular. When we decided to go there for dinner, the line was almost as long, so we waited in the heat and blaring sun to get our udon. 

I had the curry udon with beef curry broth, and it was worth the wait in the sun. So good! When I got back from vacation, I kept thinking about how good it was, so I searched for a curry udon recipe that was similar. I found this one at Cilantro and Citronella, and even though it wasn't the same, it looked and sounded good. And it is! 

And I don't have to wait and sweat in a long line outside to get it.

This dish is full of flavor and is easy to make. I find refrigerated udon noodles in the produce section of the grocery store near won ton wrappers.   

Curry Udon

14 oz.(400 g.) fresh udon noodles

4 T. canola oil, divided

½ med. onion, thinly sliced

1 small potato, cubed

1 carrot, sliced

2 – 3 dried shiitake mushrooms

3 c. vegetable stock 

4 T. flour

1 T. curry powder

1 T. garam masala

½ t. cayenne pepper (optional)

1 T. soy sauce, plus more to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 green onion, sliced

Cook the udon noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until soft and transparent. Add the potato, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile prepare the curry roux. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour, curry powder and garam masala and mix well. Stir for about 5 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Continue to cook and stir until the roux sticks together in a ball and starts to crumble apart. Remove from the heat.

When vegetables are ready, ladle some of the soup into the pan with the roux and stir well to dissolve the flour. Pour this into the pot with the soup and mix well as it thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove shiitake mushrooms, slice them, and add them back in. Add a little more stock or water for thinner soup.

Divide the noodles into your bowls. Ladle curry stew on noodles, and garnish with chopped green onions.