Rice Pudding

Who knew it would be so hard to find pumpkin carving kits? A couple days ago, I decided to carve pumpkins despite knowing that they probably won't last longer than a week. Not that I have anything against the classic "Boo!" face design, but when I take the time to go through the messiness of "degutting" a pumpkin I want to do something make it count. So after searching two stores with no luck, I finally found some designs at the drug store. Something inside of me wishes I were artistic enough to make some wonderfully creative design on those unconveniently curved pumpkin walls, but its just too hard. I need the paper designs that I tape to the side, the hole puncher and the mini knife...you just need to accept your abilities for what they are sometimes. They ended up turning out pretty good. I did one and Ryan did one...please feel free to vote on your favourite.

So the trees have offically accepted that fall is upon us, I have already carved my first pumpkin, and I find myself facing aisles of candy everytime I walk into the grocery store. It's Halloween season. I have to admit...I'm not one for the pumpkin flavour. Sure, the idea of pumpkin pie is great...but I'm just not a fan. Can't even get myself to like the pumpkin latte's that people go so crazy for at Starbucks every year. I went as far as to roast the pumpkin seeds from my carved pumpkins last week in an attempt to find something I could appreciate about pumpkins apart from carving them. I can only remember my mom roasting pumpkin seeds one time when I was younger, and all I can recollect is her telling me, "not worth the work". Unfortunately, I have to agree with her. However, I know alot of people really do like them so I'm just going to take it as me not being a pumpkin person. If anyone thinks they can sway me into liking a pumpkin recipe, by all means do tell.

I'm going to be on the search for a good "fall" recipe this week since I don't really have one worth sharing with you at this point. I do have a recipe I'd like to share though. Both Mel and I have made this and we really enjoyed it. Its a good dessert, not too sweet, but something you can keep in the fridge in a tupperware for after dinner.

Rice Pudding

2 cups water

1 cup Arborio Rice

3 cups vanilla soymilk

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (+ dusting)

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 tsbp. sweetened condensed milk (+ 2 tsp. for drizzle ontop)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add rice, cover and simmer for 20 min., until rice is nearly cooked. In large bowl, whisk soymilk, sugar and salt. When rice is cooked and sitll hot, add soymilk mixture and cinnamon stick. Cover, place in oven and cook for 45 min. (you can transfer the mixture from pot to an oven safe dish (casserole dish perhaps...whatever works but needs to be covered).

Remove from oven, uncover and remove cinnamon stick. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tbsp condensed milk. Pudding will be slightly liquidy, but liquid will be absorbed by the rice as it cools. Distribute into serving bowls, drizzle with additional condensed milk, dust with cinnamon, and nutmeg if you want.

-Anita