Creamy Rice Pudding

The first weekend of 2010, S. and I spent time "Up North" at a ski retreat for the high school team he helps coach. I would like to say that I skied wonderfully well and enjoyed myself thoroughly, however I didn't ski. Not for a lack of preparation, but for a lack of cooperation on the part of the weather. The warmest it was that weekend (without windchill) was a whopping -28 degrees. I refuse to ski in such inhumane conditions. This didn't stop the team, however, and they still needed to be fed. Enter: Operation Feed Ski Team. I assisted my dear MIL and two other mothers of skiers with meal preparation for upwards of forty people. Yes, forty. Having never cooked for a huge crowd, we had some issues with quantity. Enter: three packed-to-the-gills-with-leftover-rice gallon ziploc bags. My MIL was going to throw them away. I thought it was wasteful, so I quickly volunteered to take home the leftovers. The only question once I got them to my house was: What the heck do I do with three gallons of cooked rice? I froze some of it, we have been eating asian and tex-mex, but I decided to venture into the world of rice pudding. Very exotic world out there. It seems the recipes for rice pudding involve nothing more than the daring flavors of plump raisins and vanilla. Mexican vanilla if you are feeling really adventurous. Not wanting to be all "Plane Jane" with my rice pudding, I decided to hop into exotic rice pudding:


Coconut Almond Rice Pudding.
Adapted from here.
Ingredients:

         1 1/2 cups cooked white rice

         4 cups milk

         2/3 cup white sugar

         1/2 teaspoon salt

         2 egg, beaten

         1 1/3 cups coconut flakes

         2 tablespoons butter

         3/4 teaspoon almond extract*

1. In a medium saucepan, combine Rice, 3 c. Milk, sugar and salt. (Note it is only 3 c. not all 4).

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thick and creamy, 15-20 minutes. (Easiest way to tell if it is "thick and creamy" is if the rice mixture begins to have little "glurping" bubbles).

3. Stir in remaining 1 c. milk, beat eggs, and coconut flakes. 

4. Cook mixture 2 minutes more, stirring constantly (to prevent the eggs for curdling/cooking like a scrambled egg).

5. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and almond extract.

6. Serve warm topped with shredded coconut. Mmmmmm.


*Make sure to use the almond extract sparingly - my almond extract decided to pour out rapidly, thus ensuring a very almond-y flavor.

 Mom can I have some?