Rice Pudding

I have a favorite rice putting recipe.  It's really simple, and it's made on the stove top with leftover cooked rice. I have made it with leftover rice from our favorite Thai restaurants, but I don't recommend this - it makes for extremely salty rice pudding. I didn't even know that restaurants put salt in their rice.

When I make this, I love to get it cooking on an extra burner while I'm preparing dinner.  That way the pudding can cool while you eat dinner. It is utter perfection when it has cooled to just a slightly-warm mixture.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups cooked rice
• 2 Cups milk, separated into 1 1/2 Cup portion and 1/2 Cup portion
• 1/3 Cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Combine rice, 1 1/2 Cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy. This takes a while, like 20 minutes. I always walk away and come back several times to stir. Of course, you run the danger of burning the bottom when you do that.  I've never actually burned the bottom, but one time I got what I called "caramelized flakes." The pudding was fine.

Once it is real thick, stir in the rest of the milk, quickly followed by the egg, butter and vanilla.  I believe the purpose of this second portion of milk is to cool the mixture slightly so that the egg can be stirred in completely before it cooks.

Cook for a few minutes more so that it re-thickens a little.  Then pour into a serving dish and let cool.

Enjoy!