Waste Not, Want Not

I think I learned it from my mom, but I hate to throw things away. After a dinner with Sean, Sabrina and Dave there was leftover rice that was destined for the trash. I rescued it and gave it an elegant new life.

Rice Pudding

3 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup coconut
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crushed pistachio nuts

Put all of the ingredients, except the vanilla and nuts, into a medium size pot on medium high height. Stir the mixture and cook until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium low and let it cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the mixture reduces and absorbs most of the milk. Taste the pudding and check for consistency. You do not want it to be too stiff. It will get thicker as it cools. Turn off the heat and add in the vanilla. You can either serve it hot or cold, sprinkled with the nuts.

Sugar Trade

I really enjoy hanging out at the bar around the corner. The guys that work Sunday and Monday nights are so much fun. In addition, I get to see the crazy characters the come through the ‘hood. Every once in a while I bake them treats to reward them for all of their entertainment.

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

4 egg whites
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups sweetened flake coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Line two large sheet pans with Silpat mats.

In a large box beat the egg whites with a fork. Stir in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Add in the coconut and chips. Toss with the fork and switch to your hands to evenly distribute the egg throughout the coconut and chocolate. Fill the palm of your hand with coconut, about 2 teaspoons full. Squeeze the cookie dough, so that the coconut is tightly packed. Place on the cookie on the cookie sheet. The dough should be tall, not a flat cookie.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack with a spatula. Finish cooling on the wire rack.