Homemade Rice Pudding

One of the best parts of living in North East Pennsylvania is Fall.  This is by far my favorite time of year.  If you ask my oldest daughter why, she will say it is because her birthday is in fall and therefor everyone should love it.  As much as I do love her, this is not the only reason I love fall.  I love wearing big comfy sweaters, warm fuzzy boots, sweet hot chocolate, and of course the fall foliage.  Here is Pennsylvania we have amazing colors of leaves, from bright reds and yellows, to burnt oranges and pretty golds.  I love to go for walks and hear the leaves crunch under my boots, and to see my kids find as many different colors and shapes of leaves as they can.  I love the crisp cool air and a warm crackling fire.  It is a time of year that to me is like no other.

 

This time of year also brings with is something that almost everyone can relate to, and that is the FAIR.  Around here the Bloomsburg Fairis a really big deal.  It is the one time of year where you can eat your weight in food and no one cares.  Diets don't exist during fair week and you always look forward to that special something you can only get at the fair.  It almost always rains for the fair and 9 times out of 10 it is cold, but it just wouldn't be the fair if this didn't happen.

Every year my husband, kids and I enjoy a few days eating our way around the fair, seeing all the exhibits, and usually running into a few people we know along the way.  We like to try at least one new thing every year.  Last year it was Chocolate Covered Bacon.  This year.....not sure.  We haven't heard about anything yet, but don't worry I'm sure we will find something.

With that said my husband and I do enjoy eating one of our favorite things at the fair and although it is nothing crazy or unusual it is still one of the bests and that is Rice Pudding.  I know, I know, pretty boring, but it really is very good.  My kids, however, find it gross.  All 3 of them!!  Crazy I tell you!!

Now, when I was a kid my grandmother use to make homemade rice pudding all the time, and I swear it never made it more than a day before it was gone.  It was and still is one of my favorite things.  Well, as I got older and started to learn how to cook I asked my grandmother for her recipe.  She gladly gave it to me and I quickly learned the "back in the day" meant very little measuring and lot of "you just know" how much and when it was done.  Don't get me wrong, there was some measurements, but also a "pinch" of this and a "handful" of that.  (I admit that I do a lot of this now, but when I first started out, I was like "WHAT?!?!")   Over the years, I think that I have gotten the hang of it and my hubby is always there to happily taste test for me.  I don't make it often, but when I do it is something special for the two of us to share.  It is really a great recipe that brings back a lot of fun memories for me.

Here is what you need:
1 quart of milk (I use Whole Milk)
1/2 cup long grain rice (I use white)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Combine the milk, sugar, rice and salt in a small sauce pan.  Cook slowly over medium heat.  Allow to boil and continue to cook stirring contentiously until rice is tender about 20-30 minutes.  If the mixture becomes to thick add more milk.  When cooked, beat eggs, water and vanilla together.  Temper the hot rice mix with the eggs and then add to the sauce pan.  Cook for 2 more minutes.  Pour into an 8x8 in pan and add raisins if desired and mix well.  Sprinkle with Cinnamon Chill for minimum of 4 hours.

Happy Baking and ENJOY!!