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Best Ever Microwaved Rice Pudding

I have been making this recipe since the early 1980s.

I have a 1200 watt microwave oven, and I cook this recipe at Power 8. 

Your plain rice can be cooked in your preferred way: steamer, pressure cooker, stovetop, microwave, or conventional oven.

Ingredients:

3 beaten eggs

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

½ teaspoon of salt

2 cups of cooked rice

½ cup of raisins 

Ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Method:

In a 2-quart casserole, combine eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. To this, add raisins and rice. Stir.

Microwave this mixture uncovered on medium power for 8 to 9 minutes, just until thickened. I usually cook this in segments of 2 minutes, stirring each time the beeper goes. This way, I can’t forget. It usually takes 9 minutes on power 8 to finish cooking. 

Do not stir the pudding after the last minute. Instead, remove the pudding from the microwave oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. It can be served warm or cold. Refrigerate after the thirty-minute sit time.    

Oven-Baked Rice Medley

Preheat oven to 350°F

Try this oven-baked rice recipe. It bakes in 30 minutes at 350°F, so it is ready in the time it takes to rest and carve a roast. 

Pour two cups of good quality chicken broth into an ovenproof casserole and heat on high in the microwave for two minutes per cup.

Sauté finely chopped fresh mushrooms with onions or shallots. I sometimes use the last third of an onion and the end of a package of mushrooms. This rice is also delicious made with only broth. 

Add the veggies to the hot chicken broth. Add one cup of raw white rice (not processed) to the liquid, along with a rounded teaspoon of butter. Stir the mixture until the butter melts. Place a lid on the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, check to be sure that the broth is fully absorbed. If the rice looks cooked, remove the casserole from the oven. Fluff the rice, replace the lid, and let the rice stand for up to 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

The rice can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen in individual portions. Brown rice can be prepared this way but will require 50 minutes or more to cook.

Tips:

I often toss half a cup of grated carrots or beets into the dish for the sitting period at the end. The steam from the hot rice cooks the grated vegetables, and the extra colour is lovely. 

Once you are comfortable making rice in the oven, try using other liquids and different vegetables in your medley. I have made oven-baked rice with pineapple juice instead of broth, adding chopped apples, celery, and onions to the mix. I've also tried mixing coconut milk, kidney beans, and a bit of chilli powder. Have fun!