Coconut Milk Rice Pudding

there's something about warm, creamy rice pudding that just so.....sigh....delicious. it's immediate comfort in a bowl. in a cup. in a jar. ummmm....off a spoon right out of the pan (not that i would ever do that, of course). it's the perfect dessert, the perfect breakfast, the perfect afternoon snack. if you have left over cooked rice you have the perfect reason to put this together. it requires few ingredients and only about an hour of somewhat watchful time.

 

here's what you need:

3 cups cooked rice (my favorite is short grain brown but you could use whatever you have on hand)

1 can coconut cream (14 oz)

1 can coconut milk (14 oz) full fat or light

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup raw sugar (regular sugar can be used. probably brown also though i haven't tried it)

1/8 - 1/4 tsp sea salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 vanilla bean, split

1/4 tsp cinnamon

if you don't have left over rice, just cook your rice of choice per instructions. this is usually one part rice to two parts water brown rice takes longer to cook than white but i prefer it; fuller bodied, nuttier, and better for you. this is the time to add the salt listed in the recipe. if you're using left over rice you can add the salt when adding the spices. you could also leave the salt out completely but it does enhance the flavor if you use it. start with the smallest amount - you can always add more.

to the cooked rice add the coconut cream, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla bean and spices. bring everything to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. you want to let everything cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed by the rice. this will take about 45 minutes. be sure to give it a stir every now and then.

it's done when it looks like this. your kitchen will smell amazing and holiday-ish. the rice pudding will be crazy creamy and you'll be ready for a bowl. eat it as is or add rasins, dried apricots or dried cherries. toasted, slivered almonds give a nice crunch.  and....not only is this the perfect dessert for those in your home who may be lactose intolerant, you'll also get the added benefits of coconut. yeah you!

enjoy!

Fall Pear Cordial

i wish i could say that fall has hit the west coast. occasionally we get a chilly, cloud filled day - my favorite -  and i break out my knitting, a giant cup of milky earl gray (heavily sugared, naturally) and make sure there's something cozy for dinner. but then the next day dawns clear and hot and i find myself putting away my favorite sweater and dreaming of things like deep dish casseroles, creamy soups, hot fruit crisps and warm bread dripping in butter. temps in the 80's aren't conducive to homey comfort food though so i recently found myself  looking for something cool to drink that tasted like fall. what better than a pear cordial?

this past summer, our favorite cold drink was a bombay saphire and tonic with lots and lots of limes. i make a good one. strong but easy to drink. ummm...maybe that's not so good. anyway, now that it's fall i was wanting something different and a bit unusual. i love pears and i love vanilla and i found a recipe on pinterest (note: what do you think about a pinterest bucket list? cool, right?), went out and bought the ingredients and gave it a go.

here's what i used:

1 vanilla bean, split length-wise
1 strip lemon peel
vodka
4 bosc pears
sugar
water

once again, i'm a walking advertisement for traders. what can i say? i went there for the vanilla beans and the vodka. you can buy the good stuff if you want but it really isn't necessary; with the flavor and sweetness of the cordial, i doubt anyone would notice. i bought the least expensive bottle which was $5.99.

bosc pears. yum. i love their sanding sugar texture and deep flavor. so perfect for this. wash them well, peel and core them and slice them up.

get into your mason jar stash. fill a clean jar with a vanilla bean, a fat slice of lemon peel and enough pears to reach the top. fill with vodka (you could also use brandy), screw on the lid and give it a good shake. store in a dark place for 1 week to 3 months, shaking periodically.  i lasted two weeks . if you make this near halloween, like me, buy some gorgeous pumpkins (got mine from traders. where else?) and use them as photo props for the caterpillar that your child brings home from school while you're waiting for your cordial to develop.

  

when you can't wait any longer, make a simple syrup from 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. add a sliced pear to the mixture. it will add even more pear flavor to your cordial. let it cool. 

pour the vodka mixture into a large bowl and use a potato masher to smash up the pears. remove the lemon peel and vanilla bean and strain the mixture into a clean container. i used a nut milk bag to strain but you could use cheesecloth or a coffee filter. 

add as much or as little of the simple syrup as you like. mix well and pour into a pretty little bottle or back into mason jars.

this is really delicious and a perfect fall aperitif served over ice on a warm evening. or neat on a chilly night. tastes even more delicious served in sweet little glasses or go rustic and serve it out of small mason jars. a sprig of fresh rosemary or sage with a curl of lemon peel would be a great garnish. aaaannnnndddd...i'm envisioning a pear tiramisu with the lady fingers soaked in this liquid gold.

right?!?