Fruity Rice Pudding

by Cheryl McClure

Rice pudding is one of those wonderful comfort foods that your children will enjoy. Adding apricots or peaches gives it a little more oomph.

1/2 gallon milk
1 cup rice
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons margarine, solid
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup minced dried apricots (It is important to have the dried apricots minced) OR 1/2 cup minced dried peaches
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Put all ingredients into crockery cooker. Stir to blend well. Cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours, stir once after about 1 hour. Or, cook on high for the first 30 minutes, turn to low and cook as long as you desire. Check after the first 2 hours of low cooking and stir. If rice is not absorbing the milk quickly enough, turn the crockery pot up to high again. Keep cover on at all times.

Substitute canned milk for the regular milk for a very rich flavor. The cooking time will vary greatly, anywhere from 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. The longer it cooks the thicker it will be.

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Cheryl McClure is US Navy Veteran and a Proud Navy Wife. She is a freelance writer who has been published on several web sites. In her spare time she enjoys chasing her two year-old daughter around their home and surfing the internet. Some of Cheryl's writing can be found on her web sites Life As LadyGeek and TastesAlike