A tasty way to use up leftover rice

Rice pudding is near the top of my list of comfort foods. Creamy, filling, warm, sweet and spicy -- does it get any better than that? After a stir fry left me with some rice, I decided to try Joy's recipe (p. 820). I was surprised to see this recipe doesn't use the usual baking method of placing the custard dish in a larger dish and filling the space with boiling water. Instead, Joy calls for buttering the dish and, if one chooses, dusting it with a layer of cookie crumbs. The usual components are all there: milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, rice and Joy adds more butter to the custard mixture and recommends experimenting with grated lemon zest or chopped dates instead of raisins. My verdict: Not bad, and I'm not sad to do away with the hot water bath.