Dear Kayla….

This was written some time ago.  I am linking to Patchwork Times Rice Recipes now.  Enjoy a post from the past.

Over the weekend, my daughter Kayla had her wisdom teeth taken out.

Here she is snuggled up in my Carolina Christmas quilt.  While she was home we watched a couple movies and I tried to pamper her a bit by making my recipe for rice pudding.

Yesterday, over on Kayla’s blog a.k.a. Kayla’s Thrifty Ways, she wrote a cute little post asking for the recipe….and here is my reply.

Dear Kayla…..
I was happy to be of service to you!  I don’t get a chance to pamper you as much as I wish now that you are a grown girl and out and on your own.   We need to have a few more days like that…minus the teeth removal.  The company was splendid, the movies pretty good, and English paper piecing was great too.

As for the rice pudding recipe….It’s one of those that you have to make a couple times before you truly get the hang of it.  So, if you don’t get it the first time, try again.  It is definitely worth it!
Here goes….
Put 1 cup of rice in a pan along with 2 cups of water.  Add a 1/2 stick of butter or margarine.  Put it on medium heat.  Don’t cover it.  Cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed BUT not burned to the bottom of the pan.  Add 1 quart of milk….if you forgot your math, that’s 4 cups.  Let that cook until boiling.  Let it lightly bubble  for about 1 minute stirring all the time.

In another bowl combine 3 beaten eggs (you can get by with two but you know I always have too many eggs), add 1 teaspoons of vanilla and a half cup sugar.

Now take about 1 cup of the milk/rice mix and stir it in to the eggs.  Now whisk (I’ve learned an immersion blender works best) that mixture back into the pan on the stove.  Whisk LOTS and FAST or the eggs will curdle.   Continue heating and stirring a minute or two minutes.  Now, you can add cinnamon if you wish. The original recipe has it but, we like it best without.  You can pour it in a bowl and refrigerate if you want….I don’t because Kalissa likes it warm.  As it cools and sets, the top develops a custard like consistency.

When everyone is home, I double the batch.  The original recipe calls for whole milk, but I quit using whole milk just to cut the calories.  Of course it is richer and creamier with whole milk, but I am trying to avoid a richer, creamier, body so it’s my sacrifice.  I have also made it using sugar substitute and that’s okay too.   Leftovers make a GREAT breakfast!

Everyone here eats it a little different.  I eat mine in a bowl with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top and milk…kind of like cereal.  Kalissa eats her’s with cinnamon and sugar BUT no milk.  Dad eats his with a dollop of butter on top, cinnamon and sugar and milk.  Regardless of how you eat it, it’s yummy.

Looks like Kalissa found it….

…and so, Kayla, that’s the recipe.
I hope your teeth (or lack there of) continue to heal.   Let me know when your schedule will allow you to be home….it’s nice to spend the day together.  Love, Mom.