It’s the happiest time of the year! The holiday are in full swing, the weather is cooling down and we get to spend time with our loved ones. I also failed to mention that we get to eat all sorts of amazing food from turkey to casseroles to pie.  As much as I love hanging with family, I also love that I get to spend time with my friends since our schedules are a little more flexible this time of year.

One of my friends hosted a fun Friendsgiving with the most amazing decor and food that I wanted to share for inspiration.  The apple cider with cinnamon sticks were darling and added a special touch.

One of my very favorite decorations was the “thankful tree.” There was a tree with a bunch of branches and cards for us to write what we are thankful for. It’s such a simple decoration but has so much meaning. Not only was it great to take a few minutes to really think about Thanksgiving and what it means to me but I also loved reading everybody’s thankful card. 

The table was beautifully set with all sorts of Fall decor. I love that rice was used to hold the candles in place. Not only is rice inexpensive to use for decorations but it’s something I always have in my pantry. 

After our Friendsgiving, I started planning for my Thanksgiving dinner that I have every year with our family. I am usually the lucky one that gets to bring dessert and instead of the same old desserts that I bring every year, I wanted to switch it up a bit but keep it somewhat traditional. Anything with pumpkin is always a hit, so I created a Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding that everybody will love.

Rice pudding is a popular and comforting dessert that typically consists of cooked rice, milk, sugar, and often additional flavorings such as vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg. The dish can vary in texture from creamy to more firm, depending on the specific recipe and cultural variations.

This recipe incorporates two things I absolutely love: Rice and Pumpkin. Who knew the two would be a perfect match? My father is from Okinawa so every single meal while growing up we had rice. It didn’t matter what we were eating, the side dish would always be rice. Since that is engraved in my brain, I still make every single night with our meal. It’s a staple in my house and always will be.One reason I love this recipe is because I usually already have all of the ingredients and it only takes 20 minutes to make. Let’s get started!

Grab these ingredients from your pantry/refrigerator:

• 1 1/2 cups Minute White Rice, uncooked
• 1 12oz can of Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

First mix together the rice, evaporated milk, pumpkin, water, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium saucepan.  

Now cook over medium heat 20 minutes. I would not recommend leaving this on the stove without supervision. Watch over it and stir often. You don’t want it to burn!

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. After stirring in vanilla, let the mixture set for about 10 minutes. It will thicken up quite a bit. Once it thickens, it’s time to eat!

I love this recipe because you can eat it plain or add all sorts of toppings to change up the flavor. I added a little bit of whip cream and pecans to change up the consistency a bit. This recipe is not only full of flavor, it’s very filling and can take the place of any dessert. No matter how many people you are serving or their ages, this recipe will loved by all!

What is your favorite dish made with rice?