I love pudding. I know many people consider pudding nursery food, and maybe it is, but sometimes I will make chocolate pudding (never the instant stuff, just the cook-and-serve pudding) and eat it for dinner. Nothing else, just the chocolate pudding, still very warm. I love the “skin,” so I eat that first, then the pudding. The package makes four ramekins, and I usually save one for dessert after a salad the next day.

I realize this is not to be considered an entrée, but I only do that every few months. The next day (and every day, really), I do eat healthy. And let’s be honest here. Tell me you never decide it’s hummus on pita chips or a grilled cheese and canned tomato soup or warm popcorn tossed with dry ranch dressing.

Here are two pudding recipes. While both are from scratch (the first I made up myself), one is for the birds. It comes from Daryl Perch, whose bird feeders are a wonder to behold, to say nothing about her photographic chops I see on Facebook.

Donut Bread Pudding

If you like donuts, you will adore this!

Serves 4 to 6

4 to 6 big, somewhat stale glazed coffee rolls (yeasty spirals filled with cinnamon and sugar)

5 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

4 to 5 cups of milk (whole or 2%)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla or almond extract

1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon or rum (optional)

1/2 cup dried cherries, blueberries, currants or raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the center. Butter a 9- by 13-inch glass or gratin pan and set aside.

In a big bowl, mix together eggs, milk, extract and liquor. Cut the donuts into one-inch chunks and gently fold them and the fruit into the egg-milk concoction. Let donuts steep in the milk mixture for about 30-60 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and place the pan into a larger (roasting-type) pan; place into preheated oven. Pour very hot water into the roasting pan until the water comes about a quarter or halfway up the side.

Bake until pudding is just set in the middle, usually about an hour.

Remove the roasting pan carefully from the oven. Again, carefully, remove glass pan or gratin pan and place on a wire rack. The pudding can be served warmed or at room temperature or from the refrigerator with whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate sauce or just by itself.

Bird Pudding

From Daryl Perch

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 pound lard (the one you get in the refrigerator section of the supermarket)

4 cups of chicken feed

4 cups quick oats

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 cups flour

Melt the peanut butter and the lard.

In a large bowl, toss chicken feed, oats, cornmeal and flour. Pour in the melted ingredients and mix together.

Cook’s Tip: If you have a flat-bottom bird feeder, I freeze the bird pudding in disposable pie plates. If you want to put the pudding into the hanging suet feeders, freeze the pudding in flat baking sheets; once frozen, cut them into and refreeze. Your birds will love you.

On the Side

Four days at Mohegan Sun watching the AAC women's basketball tournament (four games Friday, four Saturday, three Sunday and one Monday) made me hungry for Mexican food. Thanks to one of my friends, all of us ate superb nachos at Tom's Urban at the casino. It took four of us to finish it. After the nachos, we shared a combination brownie sundae/s'mores dessert. We tried hard but couldn't finish that.

I still wanted more Mexican food so, on my way home from the third game, I stopped at Ortega's in Groton and ate two small beef-filled flautas with salad, rice and refried beans. It is one of my favorite at Ortega's and hadn't had it in three or four years. One more meal at Mañana, and I may be fine for another year.

Tom's Urban

Mohegan Sun Casino

Ortega's

108 North St., Groton

(860) 405-1275

Lee White lives in Groton. She can be reached at leeawhite@aol.com.