Rice Bread Pudding

This takes a while, but it’s worth it!  Do this on a lazy Saturday or Sunday when you’re in reading the paper.

¾ cup water

Milk (undefined amount)

1 & 2/3 cup of white sugar

pinch of salt

2 slices of bread (any kind, but not rye)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup raisins

1 tsp. cinnamon

¾ cup of rice

In a double boiler or heavy saucepan, put the rice.  Pour in water and milk to cover the rice and the pinch of salt.  Cook on low heat until liquid is absorbed (could be 30 minutes). Stir occasionally. While rice is cooking, soak raisins in hot water in a 1 cup measuring cup.  After rice has absorbed first amount of liquid, stir in ½ cup of the sugar and enough more milk to cover the rice.  Continue on low heat in double boiler or heavy saucepan until that milk is absorbed.  At this point, pour water out of the raisins and squeeze them in a paper towel (they should be plumped).  Stir them in to the rice. Add another ½ cup of the sugar and more milk.  At this point, the rice should look somewhat soupy and risotto-like.  Cook again until that milk is absorbed.  Once that milk is absorbed and raisins plumped even more, remove from heat and let it cool.  An hour or 2 would be good, you can even put it in the fridge if you’d like.  You can even wait until the next day to do the next part if you want to.

Pre-heat oven to 350P.  In a large bowl, tear up bread in to small pieces.  Pour just enough milk in to the bowl to cover the bread pieces.  To that, add the egg, the 2/3 cup sugar, the vanilla and the cinnamon.  Stir.  Then add the rice pudding to that mix in the bowl.  Stir all together.  In a round, casserole type baking dish, spray some cooking oil spray or butter with a paper towel.  Pour the mix in the baking dish and bake at 350c for about 30-45 minutes.  It’s done when it’s not liquid-y, but is still soft inside, so don’t over cook (found that out the hard way).  Dish it up with a spoon and serve with homemade or soft serve vanilla ice cream!  Yum!

We can think of few better ways to celebrate a new home that cooking some of your favorite recipes – especially for the holidays. We wanted to share some of our favorite recipes with you.

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2c flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking pwdr

dash salt

1tsp. cinnamon

1/2c. unsalted butter, room temp

1/2c. packed light brown sugar

1/2c. granulated sugar

1 TBSP instant espresso/coffee

2 eggs

1c. chocolate chips

1c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Butter 2 baking sheets.

OVEN: 325

Sift dry Ingredients, set aside.

Combine butter, sugars, coffee in large bowl - beat on high till light & fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beat until fluffy (about 2 min)

Add nuts & choc. chips, carefully mix in.

Add the dry ingredients, mix until just incorporated.

Divide dough in half.  Place each half on a cookie sheet, form into a log approx. 3" wide and 3/4" high.  Bake in pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes, until firm to the touch.  Remove from oven, let cool for 5 min.  Leave oven on.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer logs to a cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, cut on the diagonal into 1/2" thick slices.  Arrange cut side down on the cookie sheet and bake until the bottoms are brown (about 10 min - check after 6 min).  Remove from oven, turn the slices over and bake until bottoms are brown (again, about 10 min - check after 6 min).  Cool in wire racks and store in container with tight lid.  You can also dip one or both ends in melted chocolate, although we do prefer them without the additional chocolate.

Winter Icing

1 cup Cherrios

1 cup Crispex

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 cup peanuts or cashews

1 cup M&M's
12 oz. pkg. vanilla or white chocolate chips
1-2 Tbl. oil

Combine cereal, pretzels, nuts and M&M's in a bowl and set aside. Melt vanilla chips in bowl in microwave. Stir in oil into the melted chips.  Pour vanilla mixture over dry ingredients and stir to coat.  Turn out on wax paper and cool.  Break into pieces and serve.

Emily's Grandmas Brownies

1 package brownie mix, larger size for 9x13 pan

3 Symphony Candy bars (toffee crunch)

Mix brownie according to directions on box.  Put half the mixture in a 9x13 greased pan. Place candy bars over mixture, (do not break up bars) they will fit nicely over the brownie batter.  Cover with remaining batter, bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes.  Cool completely and cut into squares.

These are so simple, no need to frost.  People can't believe how easy these are to make and how scrumptious they are!!

Have a safe and happy holiday!