Recipe #7 Sweet Potato Rice Pudding

This recipe is inspired by plain 'ole Rice Pudding.  But plain rice pudding can be a bit boring.  And with all of the fall decorations going up in stores, I was thinking about fall desserts like pumpkin and sweet potato pie.  So, why not combine them?  This rice pudding is not too difficult to make and has the same flavor profile as sweet potato pie.  Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, and this may be one dessert that goes on my Thanksgiving table.

Difficulty Level: Medium

Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked white, long-grain rice
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweet potato puree (see note at end of recipe)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.  Add rice and stir.  Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes.  In another saucepan, combine 2 cups milk, sugar, salt, sweet potato, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.  Add cooked rice to milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thick and creamy (about 15-20 minutes).  Do not allow milk to boil.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk to the beaten egg and stir into hot rice mixture.  Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.  Serve warm or cold.

Note:  To make sweet potato puree, I used a 15 oz. can of cut sweet potatoes (yams) in syrup.  I drained about half of the liquid out of the can, then used a stick blender to puree the potatoes.  If you don't have a stick blender you can use a food processor or regular blender.  You can also use canned pumpkin that is already pureed for you.

Things I learned from this recipe:
-Pumpkin and sweet potatoes can almost be used interchangeably.  I originally wanted to use pumpkin in this recipe, but none of my local grocery stores would be carrying it until late October or early November.  Apparently there was a pumpkin shortage last year and they are not putting canned pumpkin out until late in the year to have enough stock for the Thanksgiving season.
-I originally wanted to make this a one-step cook, but the first time I tried it, it got really thick and the rice wasn't cooked all the way through.  So, I went with the pre-cooked rice method, and it worked beautifully.
-Also, just a reminder:  Do not allow the milk to boil.  It will make your pudding have a grainy texture.

Do you have a favorite snack or dessert that could be changed to a Fall inspired dish?