Cranberry Pudding Cups

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 12-cup muffin tin.  
3. In large bowl, cream 3 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar until well blended.
4. In small bowl, combine water and ½ cup evaporated milk
5. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into separate bowl.
6. Alternately add milk mixture and flour mixture to butter mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir in cranberries.  (Batter will be stiff.)
7. Fill prepared muffin cups three quarters full.  Bake 20-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool and remove from muffin tin.  (May be prepared up to 1 day in advance.  Cool thoroughly, cover and store at room temperature.)

Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla over medium-high heat.  Heat to boiling, stirring frequently.  
2. Remove from heat and set aside.  (Sauce may be prepared up to 3 weeks in advance.  Cover and chill.)
3. Place pudding cups on individual serving plates and top with warmed “butter sauce”.

*recipe from the Colorado Collage cookbook