Rice Pudding

Ours was a meat and potato household. I can hardly remember ever having rice served with a meal other than in a casserole or in dessert form. The taste of long grain rice wasn't very appealing to us compared to the mashed, baked, boiled, or home fries that Mother made regularly. It wasn't until we moved to Japan that I experienced short grain, flavorful rice. Meanwhile, rice pudding always was a favorite and as it was made from simple ingredients that were almost always in the cupboard, we had it often. Mother made it in a roasting pan and put raisins in one end for Frank after stirring it down for the last time. He was the only one in the family that liked them in the pudding and whatever Frank liked to eat, he got! This pudding has a rich caramel color. Nice contrast when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1 quart milk (half evaporated, half water)
1/3 -1/2 sugar
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
shake of nutmeg
raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients and bake for about 2 hours in a small, uncovered roasting pan. Sir down the mixture every 1/2 hour. Remove when desired thickness is reached and serve ASAP.

Frank's Favorite Rhubarb Custard Pie

The following is my first offering from Adeline's kitchen. It's a very old recipe that was the first fruit pie-treat of spring in the northern climate. Rhubarb or pie plant, a staple in every country garden, emerges from the grips of winter before the trees bud or the grass greens. It was one of my father, Frank's, very favorite desserts and he was a man who loved dessert. After every meal (including breakfast) he would say to Adeline, "any pie, cake, bananas, ice cream, pudding, jello?" There always was something on that list to satisfy his sweet tooth.

2 cups sliced rhubarb
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 tbs. flour
1 1/2 tbs. melted butter
dash of grated nutmeg
1, 9" unbaked piecrust

Pre-heat oven to 475º.

Combine melted butter and sugar. Whisk together the milk, egg yolk & flour and add this to the butter/sugar mix. Combine until smooth. Into this fold the egg white which has been beaten to the soft peak stage. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg and bake for 10 minutes in a 475º oven (Rack on bottom rung). Reduce to 375º and bake until the center has barely set (it will shimmy slightly). Cool before serving.