Easy Recipe for Rice Pudding

When preparing rice pudding for breakfast, make a sweet pudding with sugar, nutmeg, raisins and cinnamon, but, when making a rice pudding for dinner, add sage, croutons, chicken broth and lots of cheese.

Easy Rice Pudding Recipe for Breakfast
Ingredients You Will Need:
½ cup short grain rice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup sugar
4 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup dried cherries or cranberries or raisins

Coat a 9- x 11-inch pan with non-stick vegetable oil, and set the oven temperature at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the rice and cornstarch together in a bowl, and then dump in the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients, except the fruit, to the batter, and stir until blended. Pour the mixture into the pan, and place the pan in the oven. Bake for about two and a half hours. Check often, and stir every 20 minutes. If the rice seems to be cooking fast, lower the temperature, or remove the dish a few minutes earlier. When done, the texture of the pudding will be very creamy, almost custard-like. Add the fruit during the last 20 minutes of baking. Serve with milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This dish can also be made on the stovetop. If making it on the stovetop, however, remember it will get done faster and will require constant stirring.

Serving Rice Pudding for Dinner
Serving rice pudding for dinner usually means adding a few more spices and taking a little more time for preparation. But the end result is worth the additional work.

Savory Rice Pudding Recipe for Dinner
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 sweet onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced vegetables
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 ½ cup chicken broth
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups long-grain rice, cooked
1 cup ricotta cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, snipped
1 teaspoon fresh sage, snipped

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fork-tender. Lower the heat, and add the vegetables, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. After about 10 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and cream together in a large bowl. Add the rice, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese to the mix, and stir until well blended. Slowly add the egg mixture to the cooled vegetables, and stir until blended. Pour the mixture into a prepared rectangular cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable oil.

Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, thyme and sage together, and sprinkle over the rice. Pop the pan into an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook for about 20 minutes.

If using ramekin dishes, make sure the rice is mixed thoroughly and each scoop contains an equal portion of liquid, vegetables and rice.