Quite a Treat

Was there something that you really enjoyed eating as a kid but it seemed like your mom only made it when you were going someplace? For me, it was eclair cake. It was a standby for picnics we attended for years, and I always gave my mom a hard time for never just making it for us to have a home. But now I understand why: if you don't have a picnic's worth of people to share it with, you will devour it. On your own. Possibly at night, standing in front of an open fridge, armed with a spoon. You may rationalize why it qualifies as breakfast food. And if you do take it to a picnic, you'll appreciate any compliments you receive but you'll still be sad as you load an empty pan in your car that they ate it all.

Eclair Cake

1 pound box graham crackers
2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
9 oz. container whipped cream topping

(I think package sizes have changed since this recipe was written because my box of graham crackers was 14.4 oz and Cool Whip is 8 oz. but those sizes work just fine.)

Frosting:
6 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. white corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
3 Tbsp. milk

Butter bottom of 9x13-inch baking pan; line with whole graham crackers. (I like to break mine to get each layer as covered as possible.)

Mix pudding with milk. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Blend in whipped topping.

Pour half the mixture over crackers. Place second layer of crackers over pudding.

Pour remaining pudding over and cover with more crackers. Refrigerate two hours.

Frost and refrigerate overnight.

The hardest things about this dessert is not eating it while it hangs out in the fridge overnight. Scratch that; keeping your husband out of it is harder

By the way, my apologies if you are on a diet or something and I'm throwing lots of dessert recipes at you. Summer just screams cool, sweet treats to me!