Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the rice. Boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes; drain well. Rice will not be completely cooked at this point.

In the same saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the vanilla bean, cooked rice, and salt. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring often, until rice is very soft and absorbs most of the milk, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the vanilla bean pods, and stir in the sugar.

In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin with half (about 2 cups) of the rice pudding mixture. Add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon in the pumpkin rice pudding mixture. Mix raisins into the white rice mixture (the half with no pumpkin added). Spoon it over the pumpkin rice mixture. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or until firm.

Serve warm, sprinkled with cinnamon and a splash of milk or cream if desired.