Happy Monday!

How about some Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding? This is a request of one of my friends and it's super easy but does require some cooking time.

Just a few ingredients. Some of them are "specialty" but can be substituted. I was able to find Mexican Chocolate at the local grocery store. Yellow box is most common and it's made by Nestle or you can find it online Taza is the most well known brand.

Here I had just remembered my friend Andy from Upriver Cafe gave me some homemade vanilla extract made with Bourbon. This will make it extra luxurious. This is fancy rice pudding!

What makes this rice pudding so simple is that it all goes in together in one pot and it's cooked over low for a long period of time. Many rice puddings start with precooked rice. This is done a little like risotto, except your not constantly adding liquid, which you may have to along the way if it becomes to thick and the rice is still under done.

This recipe was something I learned many years ago from one of my chef mentors David Britton. Back then we made a vanilla and citrus infused rice pudding and we would brule the top. This rice pudding has been adapted from the same method but using some different ingredients. This tastes like a Mexican hot chocolate-warm, sweet and spiced. This would be perfect in the fall or winter, but works perfectly today in Upstate New York where it's cold, damp and dreary.

Check the complete recipe out by clicking the recipe tab.