As much as we all know we should eat colorful foods like carrots and beets and spinach, as much as we know we should eat whole grains rather than refined carbs, and as much as we all know we should eat foods low in sodium and sugar and fat, we can only be noble for so long, now, can’t we??? I spent my summer devouring Farmers Market produce, and I buy whole wheat bread and pasta almost exclusively; people often tell me I don’t use enough salt when I cook (pfffft!), and I’ve only bought skim milk for nearly 20 years. But with leftover bananas to use up over the weekend, and not feeling inclined to bake yet another batch of muffins — the usual m.o. — I indulged in the luxury of a consummate comfort food: banana pudding.

Consummate comfort food -- Chocolate Banana Pudding

But this wasn’t just any banana pudding. My co-worker and very good friend Michele was telling me fairly recently that her mother didn’t just make plain ol’ banana pudding, as I usually do; her mom made chocolate banana pudding … oh, my! Ever since, I’ve been thinking about it, and dreaming about it, and longing for it; and finally, the opportunity presented itself. I bought vanilla wafer cookies, I bought half-and-half, and I set to cooking and stirring and slicing while Jeremy slept, to surprise him with a treat when he woke up.

This pudding has no redeeming nutritional value, despite Jeremy claiming gleefully that “it’s healthy, ‘cause it’s got fruit!” But it is so, so good for your soul; and if you’re virtuous with your diet the rest of the time, a little bit of sinning won’t hurt you too much ….

Chocolate Banana Pudding

3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup sugar pinch of salt 1 cup boiling water 2 cups half-and-half 2 eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 small bananas 1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, roughly crushed

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt; turn heat to medium-high. Slowly whisk in the water, and cook -- stirring constantly -- for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes translucent. Turn heat to low and slowly whisk in the half-and-half, the eggs and the vanilla. Slowly turn heat back up to medium-high and whisk the mixture constantly for 10 minutes or so until it thickens. Whisk in the chocolate chips until the pudding is smooth and the chocolate is completely incorporated.

Place half the pudding into a medium serving bowl. Slice the bananas and distribute the slices over the pudding; top with half of the cookie crumbs. Place the rest of the pudding over the banana-cookie layer, and spread evenly; sprinkle the top with the rest of the cookie crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.

Makes 8 regular servings, or enough for one 18-year-old male if you don’t rescue your share from him before it disappears.

Mary Bilyeu has won or placed in more than 60 cooking contests and writes about her adventures as she tries to win prizes, feeds hungry teenagers and other loved ones, and generally just has fun in the kitchen. The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured next to the blog's title) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15, and is a wish for all her readers as they cook along with her ... may you always be happy here!

You can contact Mary at yentamary@gmail.com.