Leftover Rice Pudding

Have you ever wondered what to do with all that leftover rice from Chinese take out?  We always have so much left and most times I will make a stir-fry, casserole or something similar.   Today I was inspired to make one of my favorite desserts, rice pudding.  Little Man is feeling a bit under the weather and so I wanted there to be something comforting and all of his favorite flavors in one: raisins, cinnamon, sugar and rice.  

Leftover Rice Pudding

3 cups leftover cooked rice

3 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar or Spenda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, to taste

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup raisins

8-10 whole, pitted dates, chopped

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium high heat.  Stir often until rice has absorbed most of the milk, about 20 minutes or so.   Spoon into dessert bowls and chill until ready to eat.

It is delicious served chilled or at room temperature.  (I love it both ways.  When it is warm it reminds me of the comfortingness of oatmeal.  But when it is eaten chilled it is a wonderful refreshing dessert.  I enjoy it drizzled with a bit of ice cold milk.  

**Little Man was so excited to have the pudding, he could hardly wait for it to cool off long enough to eat it!