What a Crock

For my first crock pot recipe, I tried something on the sweeter side: Rice Pudding.  Heretofore a recipe most commonly used when there was at least 2 cups of leftover rice (already cooked) sitting in the fridge, I've now got a recipe that calls for raw rice, which takes a lot longer to cook in a slow cooker, and which means you can leave the house while it simmers.  My recipe is also a lot healthier than the ones that call for condensed milk, cream, or eggs.  Now that I think about it, it's actually vegan.  But don't let that stop you: it's quite rich and delicious.

3/4 c. short grain rice (you could even try brown)

3 c. soy milk (try vanilla-flavored if you've got it)

1/4 c. white sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. salt

2 cinnamon sticks, or ground cinnamon to taste.

Put all ingredients into crock pot, stir well.  Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice if you're around.  And be careful: as is the case with regularly cooked rice, if you leave it on too long, you can over do it.  I was out running errands and came home to find my rice pudding quite firm and a tiny bit scorched on the sides.  It's still delicious, but I'll keep a better eye on it next time.  Enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or snack, chilled or warmed in the microwave.