Time to Celebrate!

Check the countdown...yes, it's true! Trent is officially done with school this week. He doesn't even have to go in on Friday, so I'm playing hookie from school and we're heading to the beach to celebrate the end of an era. (Not in the budget, but when is it ever?) I didn't think we'd get a family vacay this year - but with the baby only three months away, it's now or never. San Diego, here we come!

Now, for a yummy recipe...
After the last two nights of dinner swap, we had quite a bit of rice left over. I found a super yummy recipe for creamy rice pudding. Normally, I'm not a rice pudding lover, but even I loved this one.

Creamy Rice Pudding (from allrecipe.com):

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups milk, divided
• 3/4 cups uncooked white rice
  
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

**I varied it a bit. I substituted 1/2 cup of milk with evaporated milk (because I had some that needed to be used), I added cinnamon and nutmeg, and I only put a fraction of the raisins in. (I'm not a raisin lover, but Ty is.) Seriously good stuff - especially when you don't want to waste leftover rice.