Old-school Rice Pudding

My family needs comfort this week. We are mourning the sudden departure of a precious furry family member. It’s normally our favorite month of the year with 4 of 7 family birthdays plus holidays. We have had some incredible weather, too. But this loss has done a number on us.

We are pulling closer together, taking time to simplify, and focusing on our needs just a bit more. Times like these call for comfort. Fuzzy socks, chunky sweaters, warming beverages, and stick-to-your-ribs meals like your momma made.

In 2000, shortly before I went to college, I made certain my mother taught me this soul-soothing, simple recipe for rice pudding. This could not be less fussy. It takes 5 minutes total of prep time and only 6-8 ingredients. It makes me think of my childhood when life was simpler and being a grown-up was much more alluring. We all need to arm ourselves with a handful of recipes like this. Recipes that aren’t meant to impress anyone nearly as much as they are intended to nourish them in both body and soul.

This rice pudding recipe cooks into a true pudding consistency– not just the rice with cream consistency that many cooks like to call rice pudding. Don’t get me wrong, that kind is beautiful and tastes fine also, but the goal here is No Fuss and Maximum Pleasure. Remember that not all slow cookers are created equally, so be sure to follow your instincts whether it is cooking too slow or to fast. I’ve written the recipe to be able to make it in one day on high, but if you prefer, you could set it to low the night before and still have a deliciously simple outcome.