Same Time This Year & Brown Rice Pudding

This time last year I was myself preparing for the arrival and meeting of, who would come to be, the most wonderful man I know and love of my life, just weeks from then. And now, here again, I find myself in the same place, waiting--My Love just weeks away. Only this time, I'm a lot less nervous and relishing the eager anticipation. I've been trying to keep myself busy: cooking, recipe hunting, reading, P90X workouts, watching the leaves change color, just to prevent myself from spontaneously combusting.

Finding comfort helps to pass the time. Fall always puts me in the mood for things that make me feel warm; Socks with cats wearing scarves, Henri Bendel vanilla bean & fig candles, the smell of freshly grated nutmeg, something simmered to creamy perfection and delicious, like brown rice pudding. The epitome of this glorious season in a bowl, until it's his arms that are warm and comforting around me.

Je t'aime, Babi. See you soon.





















Brown Rice Pudding

Recipe courtesy and adapted from Joythebaker.com

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 cup brown rice (About 3 cups cooked)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
4 cups whole milk
(Yes, you can use almond milk instead)
2 Tablespoons Plus 1 Teaspoon dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split open and scraped (Optional)
1 cinnamon stick
A Pinch or 2 of ground nutmeg
A Pinch or 2 of ground allspice
1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or raisins, or whatever fruit you'd like)

















Directions:

In strainer, run cool water over brown rice. Place aside.

To medium/large sauce pan, add 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Add in brown rice and salt. Reduce heat to medium and allow rice to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Occasionally stir. Once your rice is cooked, pour water and rice into strainer (or colander), allow rice to sit in strainer for 10 seconds. With heat turned off, pour rice back into the same pot it was cooked, place cover on top and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

Gather the rest of your ingredients.

After 10 minutes, put rice in a bowl and set aside. To saucepan, add 4 cups milk, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla bean to pan. Turn heat to medium and allow milk to come to very low boil. Stir frequently to prevent burning.

Add in cooked rice, butter and raisins or cherries. Turn your heat down between medium and low. Stir and continue to stir frequently until milks reduces and is mostly absorbed by rice, approximately 30 minutes.

Transfer rice to a large bowl and smaller individual serving size bowls. Refrigerate or serve at room temperature. Store refrigerated.