Instant Pot Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

A bowl of warm raisin rice pudding is a great way to start off this Easter morning.  It took less than 20 minutes to make and the creamy goodness warms you up on a cool Spring morning.  I used golden raisins...they are my favorite.  You can make the pudding without any raisins if your prefer.

Instant Pot Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

Mix together in your Instant Pot ~

1 cup Arborio Rice
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter

Seal your instant pot and cook on rice setting.  Release after 10 minutes and stir in 1 1/2 cups of warm whole milk on saute setting.

In a small bowl, mix together ~

1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

Stir into rice mixture and turn off the Instant Pot.  Remove the pan and stir in 3/4 cup of raisins.

Instant Pot Spanish Rice

There's nothing like a blizzard to make you crave food that you cannot get to a restaurant to enjoy.  Making it yourself actually tastes better and is a lot cheaper.  I made this Spanish Rice to go along with some beef burritos.  


Instant Pot Spanish Rice

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onions, diced
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, diced
1 cup white rice
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the olive oil on the saute mode on your Instant Pot.  Add in the onions and cook until translucent.  Turn off the Instant Pot.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Gradually stir in the chicken stock.  Add in the remaining ingredients.  Stir and place the cover on.  Put on rice setting for 12 minutes.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes and the release the remaining pressure.  Fluff the rice and serve. 

Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

I was craving rice pudding last weekend and decided to try making a smaller (and easier) way to make it.  I buy Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice.  It's the easiest way I've found to make rice and it turns out perfectly every time.  And I ended up only using one saucepan...win win.

Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

1 bag Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice

1 cup Half and Half

1 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins, I used golden

Cook your boil in the bag rice in a large saucepan.  Empty into the sink and put the saucepan back on the stove with the Half and Half and 1/2 cup milk.  Stir in the sugars, rice (remove from the bag).  Cook over low heat until it thickens.  In another bowl whisk together egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.  Add a little of the hot mixture into the yolk mixture gradually, stirring constantly to temper the egg yolks.  Pour all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan.  Add in the raisins and cinnamon and cook until thickened.  Serve warm or cold.  Refrigerate any leftovers. 

Winter Squash Risotto

Rich and creamy, with a sweetness from the squash that makes this risotto a wonderful Fall side dish.  You do need a little patience stirring in the heated broth while the rice absorbs all the flavors.

Winter Squash Risotto

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 cup arborio rice

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup winter squash, mashed

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large saucepan.  Add in rice and garlic, stir and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the white wine.  Cook until the wine is absorbed.  Add in the additional 1/2 cup of heated broth.  Next continue adding in addtional broth in 1/2 cup measures, stirring and cooking until it's absorbed.  Add in the squash and spices.  Keep cooking until the rice is tender.  It will take about a half hour.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese before serving.

Parmesan Rice Pilaf

Lots of flavor and easy to make....my kind of side.  I always use the Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice because you cannot go wrong (and I have in the past with rice).  However you choose to make it, you just need to end up with 2 cups of cooked rice - white or brown.  

Parmesan Rice Pilaf

2 cups cooked white rice

2 tbsp slivered almonds

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Add all the ingredients together into the hot white rice.  Stir and serve.  Can it get any easier?

Custard Rice Pudding

This is one of my favorite comfort food desserts.  It's creamy plus the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg that enhance each bite. I make extra custard this time.

Custard Rice Pudding

3 large, room temperature eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk, scalded (heated to 180°)
1 1/2 cups rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup raisins ~ I used golden raisins 
1 dash nutmeg
1 dash cinnamon

In a large greased casserole, combine eggs, sugar and salt.  Gradually add in scalded milk (tempering).  Stir in rice and raisins.  Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top.  Set the casserole in a large pan and pour in hot water until it's 1" deep.  Bake at 350° for 60 minutes.

Cinnamon & Apple Breakfast Risotto

There's nothing like starting off a lazy weekend morning with the aroma of apples and cinnamon in the air.  I saw a risotto commercial a few weeks ago and thought why couldn't a risotto be made for breakfast...hence my morning mission today.  I had a some apples in the crisper and a box of golden raisins on hand for holiday baking so I borrowed some of each.  Remember to heat the apple juice and milk before adding to the rice to keep the rice cooking.

Cinnamon & Apple Breakfast Risotto

1 tbsp butter

1 cup arborio rice

1 1/2 cups apple juice

2 cups milk

1 apple, peeled and thin sliced

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of nutmeg

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large saucepan.  Add in rice, stir and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the sliced apple and 1 cup apple juice.  Cook until the juice is absorbed.  Add in the additional 1/2 cup of heated juice.  Next start adding in the milk in 1/2 cup measures, stirring and cooking until it's absorbed.  Add in the raisins, honey, salt and spices.  Keep cooking until the rice is tender.  It will take about a half hour.

Breakfast Fried Rice

Today was one of those mornings that I had the perfect collection of breakfast odds and ends to throw together to create a tasty start to the day.  And I had some leftover rice to complete the fried rice breakfast but I did omit the onions and garlic that I normally add to my fried rice dishes.

Breakfast Fried Rice

4 pieces bacon, cut into small slices, cooked and drained
1 apple sausage link, sliced into coins
4 oz breakfast sausage, crumbled and cooked
2 cups rice, preferably cooked the day before but 4 hours before works too
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup carrots, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup peas
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chili garlic sauce

In a large frying pan or wok,  put in carrots and olive oil and cook until tender.  Add in peas and cook for a couple minutes.  Pour beaten egg on top and stir until cooked.  Add in meats, rice and sauces and mix together.  Serve when the meats and rice are heated.

Cinnamon Apple Rice Pudding

Fall means apples and my tree was loaded this year.  I was thinking of new ways to use some and since I was in my comfort food mode...rice pudding has always been one of my favorites.  I decided to add a little more cinnamon to the mixture and substitute apples for the raisins.  It only takes one apple so there's more apple recipes that will be coming in the near future.

Cinnamon Apple Rice Pudding

3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk, scalded (heated to 180°)
2 cups rice, cooked and cooled
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 tsp vanilla
1 dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided

In a large greased casserole, combine eggs, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, sugar and salt.  Gradually add in scalded milk (tempering).  Stir in rice and raisins.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg on top.  Set the casserole in a large pan and pour in hot water until it's 1" deep.  Bake at 325° for 90 minutes.

Sweet Corn Risotto

It was cloudy and a little on the cool side.  The ham I was making for dinner needed a little brightening up too.   I made this risotto with sweet corn that was a perfect side on any kind of weather day.

Sweet Corn Risotto

1/2 cup Arborio rice

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 ears of corn

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

1 tbsp butter

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan and let cook until the stock has been absorbed (approximately 30 minutes).  Stir in Parmesan cheese , butter and corn and cook until the corn is done.  Add in the freshly ground pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and taste to see if it needs salt.  

Sweet Peas & Parmesan Risotto

I've never claimed to have a green thumb.  I can grow herbs, berry bushes and apple trees.  Out of 12 sunflowers I planted, one came up.  I'm hoping this is more due to a late start rather than any actions on my part.  My peas looked healthy when I started them inside early.  RIP little plants that did not survive the transplant.  I started over and managed to get healthy plants that my crop equaled just enough for this recipe...1/2 cup.  It's a good thing I have a few farmers markets to choose from in the valley.

Sweet Peas & Parmesan Risotto

1/2 cup Arborio rice

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup fresh peas

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

1 tbsp butter

Bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan and let cook until the stock has been absorbed (approximately 30 minutes).  Stir in Parmesan cheese , butter and peas and cook until the peas are done.  Add in the freshly ground pepper and taste to see if it needs salt.  

Turkey & Wild Rice Hotdish

It always seems that when you make a turkey that you end up looking for lots of ways how to use it afterwards.  This is a delicious way to solve that problem.  

Turkey & Wild Rice Hotdish

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1 cup wild & long grain rice
2 cups turkey, diced
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 cup peas
1 tbsp celery flakes
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring the chicken broth, water and butter to a boil.  Add in the rice, stir, cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a half hour or until the water/broth has been absorbed.  Stir in the milk and sour cream.  Mix in the remainder of the ingredients and placed in a greased casserole.  Bake for a half hour at 350°.

Rice Pudding

So it was National Rice Pudding day last week and it had me craving the recipe that my mom makes.  She doubles the custard for an extra creamy pudding.

Rice Pudding

2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whole milk, scalded (heated to 180°)
1 1/2 cups rice, cooked and cooled
1 cup raisins ~ I used golden this time because it's what I had on hand
1 tsp vanilla
1 dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large greased casserole, combine eggs, sugar and salt.  Gradually add in scalded milk (tempering).  Stir in rice and raisins.  Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top.  Set the casserole in a large pan and pour in hot water until it's 1" deep.  Bake at 325° for 90 minutes.

Mexican Rice

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow and here's a recipe that I made in early celebration...of course accompanying margaritas are always a good thing.

Mexican Rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white rice

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp onions, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp parsley

salt to taste

In a medium sized pot, place chicken broth, rice and butter. Bring to a boil, stir one time, cover and turn the heat down to simmer and leave for 20 minutes. Remove from heat after 20 minutes and keep covered for another 10 minutes. While you're waiting, in a small pan heat the olive oil and cook the onions until translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and parsley. Mix into cooked rice and add salt if necessary.