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30 Jan 17:20

The Bento

by noreply@blogger.com (oki)
We make bento.
By using the ingredients of each season,
also put your sushi in because I'm sushi chef!










Hope you can taste them someday!

13 Nov 20:14

Rice Pudding

by Ree

DSC_8067I don’t make rice pudding very often, but whenever I do, I always stop dead in my tracks and confront myself with the same question:

“Why don’t you make rice pudding more often?!?”

I mean…rice pudding. Rice pudding. There’s nothing like it in the world. Creamy, sweet, dreamy, perfect.

I’ll say it again: Perfect. It’s just one of those things you eat that causes you to roll your eyes and sigh. Like you’ve finally come home again. Like the world finally, at long last, makes sense again. Like all the questions of life are now answered.

And a bonus: It also happens to be one of the easiest desserts in the world to make!

C’mon…I’ll show ya.

 
 
Rice PuddingFirst, I want to get the raisins ready. And by ready…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingI mean douse them in bourbon or other whiskey…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd let them sit while you get all the other components ready. If you can do this a little ahead of time, it’s best to let them soak up the boozy goodness for at least an hour.

And two things about the raisins:

1. You can use regular raisins or golden raisins. Whatever floats your boat.

2. I realize that there is a percentage of the rice pudding-eating population that recoils at the thought of putting raisins in their rice pudding. But all I am saying: Give raisins a chance. Especially if they’re soaked in whiskey, man.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingNext up: The rice. You’ve gotta use medium-grain rice when you make rice pudding. It’s in the rulebook. I’ve made it with long-grain and it just isn’t the same at all.

Medium-grain all the way, baby.

(I’m sorry I called you baby.)

 
 
 
Rice PuddingMeasure a cup or so…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd pour it into a medium saucepan.

Which brings me to the second point: The pan. Overwhelmingly, my rice pudding always turns out better if I use a nonstick saucepan. Now, that’s not to say I always make it in a nonstick saucepan, and that’s not to say you need to run out and buy a nonstick saucepan if you don’t have one. But if you do have one, now’s the time to whip it out!

 
 
 
Rice PuddingThe rice needs to cook in a mixture of water…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd milk. I used 1% because that’s what I had in my fridge, but you can use 2% or whole if that’s whatcha got.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd okay. How about a splash of cream?

Just a splash!

 
 
 
Rice PuddingNext, a pinch of salt…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd a pat of butter.

So basically, you’re cooking a batch of rice…but upping the liquid quantity a bit and substituting milk for some of the water.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingStir it together, bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to the lowest heat you can muster, cover the pot, and cook it for 20-25 minutes.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingWhile the rice is cooking, whip up a caramel-pecan topping to get spooned over the rice pudding. This is totally optional, but totally heavenly. Combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingWith some light corn syrup…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingSome (*hiccup*) whiskey…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd some chopped pecans or walnuts.

(Pssst. With the exception of the whiskey, this is the very same mixture I use when I make mini pecan sticky buns! But instead of winding up as the topping of the buns, it’s going to be the topping of the rice pudding. I’m crazy that way.)

 
 
 
Rice PuddingBring it to a gentle boil over medium to medium-high heat and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes or so…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingThen remove it from the heat and let it calm down a bit. And when it does…look what you’re left with! Absolutely luscious.

(Just set it aside, and if it firms up too much before the rice pudding is done, you can just warm it up again to soften it.)

 
 
 
Rice PuddingBack to the rice pudding: This is what it looks like after the initial cooking stage (20 to 25 minutes). So nice!

And now it’s time to add the sweetness, and there are so many different ways to do this. You can add a little more milk or cream mixed with white sugar. You can add a little more milk or cream mixed with brown sugar.

Or…

OR…

 
 
Rice PuddingYou can crack open a can of sweetened condensed milk…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd drizzle in about half of it. I absolutely love using sweetened condensed milk in rice pudding because it’s creamy and sweet and serves a dual purpose.

And because sweetened condensed milk is one of my favorite ingredients on earth. I have a serious problem with it.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingStir it in, then add some vanilla for even more flavor…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAlong with a little cinnamon…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd nutmeg.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingNow stir it around and return the pan to the stove for just 4 or 5 more minutes, just to finish off the cooking process.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingAnd at that point…here’s what it looks like. Just bee-yoo-ti-full!

 
 
 
Rice PuddingJust two final things: stir in a beaten egg…

 
 
 
Rice PuddingThen drain the whiskey from the raisins and add them in.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingStir it together slowly (the temperature is so hot that it immediately takes care of the egg; no need to return it to the stove.) And now’s the time to check the consistency of the rice pudding: It should be creamy but not overly soupy. If it isn’t creamy enough, all you need to do is drizzle in a little bit more sweetened condensed milk. If it’s overly creamy, just let it sit for 5 minutes and it should be just right.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingNot that you can wait that long.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingNow, you can serve it plain and unadulterated, or you can spoon on a little bit of the caramel-pecan topping.

 
 
 
Rice PuddingHere’s the thing about rice pudding: A little goes a long way, so you can serve it in little teacups, small bowls…an assortment is fun!

 
 
 
Rice PuddingThis is life. Creamy, perfectly cooked rice pudding. Juicy raisins that lend just the faintest flavor of booze. Caramel topping with the crunch of pecans.

Sweet dreams are made of this. Make it as soon as you can.

Here’s the handy dandy printable!

Recipe

Rice Pudding

Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Difficulty:
Easy
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Raisins (golden Or Regular)
  • 1/2 cup Bourbon Or Other Whiskey (optional)
  • 1 cup Medium Grain White Rice
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cups Milk (I Used 1%)
  • 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
  • Pinch Of Salt
  • 8 ounces, fluid Sweetened Condensed Milk, More If Needed
  • Dash Of Ground Cinnamon
  • Dash Of Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 whole Egg, Beaten
  • Caramel-Pecan Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 1/2 cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
  • 1 Tablespoon Bourbon Or Other Whiskey (optional)

Preparation Instructions

***Be sure to use medium-grain rice (not long-grain.)
***Use a nonstick saucepan if you have one.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and whiskey. Set aside for 1 hour.

In a medium saucepan or pot, combine the rice, water, milk, cream, butter, and salt. Bring it to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce it to low, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring twice during this stage. Note: The rice should be cooked, but there should still be visible creamy liquid; it should not all be absorbed. If the liquid looks like it is absorbing more quickly than this, you can cut this stage to 18-20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove and add the sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Return to low heat for 5 minutes to finish cooking.

Remove the pot from the stove and slowly drizzle in the beaten egg, stirring constantly. Drain the raisins and stir them in. If you'd like the pudding to be a little creamier, stir in a little more sweetened condensed milk. If it's too creamy, return to the stovetop and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately in a small bowl.

***While the rice is cooking for the first stage, make the Caramel-Pecan Sauce: Combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, and chopped pecans. Heat up the mixture over medium-low heat, then allow to bubbly gently for 5 minutes, or until consistency is like a nice caramel sauce.. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Top each portion of rice pudding with some of the Caramel-Pecan Sauce.

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on November 12 2014

30 Nov 23:56

Evolution of a Kick-Ass Judge Dredd Cosplay

This is a fantastic example of misdirection. You get so fixated on what a great job they did with the costume - proving that the original can look great in live-action without much modification - that you completely don't notice the fact that the entire lower face is latex prosthetics. Until the creators spoil the illusion with a time-lapse video of how they did it, of course... Continue reading "Evolution of a Kick-Ass Judge Dredd Cosplay" >