Thursday 17 November 2016

Crock Pot Cooking

Hello Friends!

A while back I decided to buy a Crock Pot. I'd owned one when I lived in America and loved it. I used it for all sorts of savoury dishes, but also used it as a hot punch bowl for my Spiced Apple Cider and even as a simmering potpourri pot using fresh herbs and spices!

So, for a while now I've been hankering after a good old fashioned rice pudding and with the weather taking it's turn for the worse and getting more and more wintry by the day, I decided to make one today ~ in the Crock Pot, of course. Now, rice pudding isn't exactly rocket science and is a very easy recipe, but oh! how much easier it is in the Crock Pot!

With the winds blowing wildly outside the cottage today and with a hankering to increase the hygge, it was the perfect day to make this childhood comfort food as a pudding for later on.

I weighed out the ingredients and just tipped them all into the Crock Pot which I then turned to high for about three hours. I kept an eye on it as I've not done a rice pudding in the Crock Pot before, and it did need fairly regular stirring but there was none of that lifting a heavy dish in and out of the oven, it was right there on the counter top making life so much easier.

I had a late lunch today, and the pudding was ready to be eaten with a dollop of strawberry jam after lunch ~~~


Just weigh out your ingredients, I'm sure everyone has the recipe, but just in case, these are the measurements I used

200 gr pudding rice {be sure to use short grain pudding rice}
1 litre milk {I used semi skimmed}
1 small can condensed milk {or increase your milk by 200 ml}
50 gr unsalted butter
30 gr soft brown sugar {any sugar will be fine}
{nutmeg, cinnamon, or other spices may be added to taste, if desired and you can always melt a little chocolate in, or add some chopped dried fruits, such as craisins, apricots, or sultanas}


Tip all ingredients into your Crock Pot and turn on. Cook for about 3 hours on high, or 5~6 hours on low, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and checking to see if pudding is cooked.


I forgot to take a photo of the cooked pudding in the pot, but here it is, served up, thick and creamy, with a dollop of strawberry jam. If you like a thinner pudding, just add more milk ~~~

I don't know why, but this is one of the most delicious rice puddings I have ever eaten!


Meanwhile, back in the garden ~~~

My osteospermus just haven't got the message yet that the weather is turning rapidly and they really should not still be flowering ~~~ I bought these earlier in the year and put them into a growbag  meaning to move them to a permanent location during the summer. The best laid plans, as they say, and the move never happened so they are still in the growbag and I really must get them into the soil before we get the very bad weather that they say is coming.  Here they are, full of lovely strong new shoots coming from around the bases, and a few blooms still insisting on flowering for some autumn colour!




There are three different colours, but this purple one is my favourite of all ~~~





They are still not particularly big, but very sturdy and healthy, so I really must get them in the ground this coming week, even if I just bury them wholesale in the bag until spring to protect the roots.

Here are a few pictures of the skies over the cottage in the last week ~~~
I am always amazed and in total awe at the diversity and beauty of the universe ~~~


an early rose gold sunrise through a rain spotted window pane ~~~


a jewel coloured palette of a mauve and golden sunset ~~~


and I had hoped to capture the November Super Moon, but we were, as so often happens, scuppered by cloud cover, so here is one of our beautiful moon taken a few days before the perigee ~~~


Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah

20 comments:

  1. the rice pudding looks just yummy! The November super moon was spectacular this year. I was not able to take pictures of it, but I did sit by my window and enjoyed the brilliance of its light :0) have a blessed weekend Deborah :0) mari

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    1. Thank you Mari ~ it is yummy! I made some coconut yoghurt today so guess what I'm having for breakfast? I'm glad you enjoyed the super moon. Sometimes I prefer to enjoy the moment too, rather than take photographs.

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  2. Deb, your rice pudding looks delicious. I think of my Nanny every time rice pudding is mentioned. She always put raisins in her's and I do as well. I'll have to try making it in a crock pot. My recipe is more of a custard with eggs in it.
    I adore the moon photo you have there, even if it's not at perigee. May I ask what telephoto lens you use? I end up with a spotlight photo and don't see the landscape of the beautiful moon.
    Your lovely osteospermus look quite happy with the arrangement you have them in . Such pretty flowers to brighten the landscape!
    I hope the wind has died down and you are warm and cozy in your cottage. xoxo ♥

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    1. Hello Martha Ellen ~ yes, a lot put raisins here too, and eggs would make it so much more nutritious. I cut the sugar down so it is not sweet.
      I use the lens that came on my camera, it is fixed. I usually take a lot of shots with many different settings and use the ones I like best. I aspire to a camera with interchangeable lenses! I use a Panasonic FZ45 which is five years old now.
      Deb xoxo

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  3. I think I will be making your rice pudding at the weekend, my husband loves rice pudding x

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    1. I don't know many who don't, I suppose there are some who don't!

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  4. Your rice pudding looks delicious and must be such a comfort. It sure is the time for comfort foods.

    Those flowers are lovely and must make you smile to see them.

    Love and hugs,
    Darlene

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    1. Thanks, my dear friend. Yes, it's quick and easy and you can control the sugar, fat, and flavour! Deb xoxo

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  5. We are going to be without a cooker/oven for a while when we move, I can see a crock pot could be a very useful thing to have.

    Your moon photo is good. I couldn't understand why the one I took and put on my blog, taken at about 7am in half light has a black sky, was I zooming in right into space?! It was very hard to hold the camera steady enough with the zoom lens way out front I found.

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    1. I'd suggest a Remoska or Halogen oven if you will be without an oven but these days they cost as much as an oven and if it is only for a short while might not be worth it.
      I don't understand your black sky background either because that has happened to me too. Sometimes it helps to steady yourself against something, a wall or a tree when using zoom, and if you have an optical viewer that helps as it steadies against your face too. Shake can be combated by breathing out and taking the shot before you breathe in again! Every little helps!

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  6. Lovely photos of the moon and sky, Deborah! I make my rice pudding with eggs like Martha Ellen. I wonder if it would work in a crockpot? I don't know enough about the science of cooking to experiment. I use brown rice which adds another element of healthy eating to it.

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    1. You will just have to try it and let us know if an egg based pudding works. I have used brown rice too and like the nuttiness, but I find the texture isn't quite the same as the starchier pudding rice.

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  7. Your pudding looks so yummy and comforting! I have a new crock pot on my Christmas list, this year. Had never thought to put simmering spices in one. Thanks for the tip! Your wintery skies have me excited about our temperature change coming on Sunday, YAY!!! And, your flowers look so happy...One last "hurrah" before they settle in for a long winter's nap. Hugs to you from me across the sea ~ Donna =)

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    1. As I'm fairly certain you've been good, I'm sure Santa will bring one! Enjoy using it!
      Trans~Atlantic Hugs ~~~Deb xoxo

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  8. Oh, rice pudding - that takes me back, it was one of my favorite childhood treats. I'll have to try your crockpot version.
    Love your late bloomers! And the moon shot is amazing (as are all you photos). jen

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    1. My Crock Pot version tastes much different to a conventional oven cooked one, and I think it is better. Yes, many a happy childhood memory shared over a pot of rice pudding!
      ~~~Deb

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  9. I love rice pudding and nice to know it can be made in the slow cooker. I eat a lot better due to the slow cooker and the convection oven...thankfully!
    lovely moon!

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    1. It is so easy to cook up a pot of food for the freezer, isn't it? Agree, I eat much better, more healthily due to my Crock Pot.
      ~~~Deb

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  10. I agree, the crock~pot rice pudding is the best!! From now on this is how I'll make it. I used our fresh goat milk and you could not tell it from cow!!

    I always enjoy your photos and the super moon pic is wonderful!! What a night is was here to view!!! So beautiful and bright!! I have given up trying to capture full moon pics with my Canon cam!! They NEVER come out and I end up real crabby!!! LOL!
    Sending love and warmth over the waves xxx ooo, Linnie

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    1. Thank you Dearest Linnie ~ that's interesting about the milk not tasting any different.
      Sorry I overlooked publishing your kind reply ~ since Blogger have made these changes I didn't realise we no longer get a notice that there are comments waiting moderation. Sighs
      ~~~Waving~~~Deb xoxo

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