Mystery Rice Pudding : DEAR SOS: I am looking for the old Los Angeles Times recipe for Hayden’s Rice Pudding, which I lost in a recent move. I hope you can help. : --ADRIAN : DEAR ADRIAN: Yes, we can and we will, even though we’ve lost track of who Hayden is and where the recipe originated.

HAYDEN’S RICE PUDDING

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 quart milk

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

Cinnamon sugar or nutmeg

Bring water, rice and salt to boil in saucepan. Simmer 7 minutes. Add milk and butter. Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 1/4 hours.

Beat eggs with sugar and vanilla and add to cooked rice mixture and heat through. Remove from heat and add raisins. Turn into shallow buttered pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

538 calories; 567 mg sodium; 170 mg cholesterol; 22 grams fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.34 gram fiber.

A Beefy Soup From the Ranch

DEAR SOS: Would it be possible to obtain the recipe for the marvelous beef barley soup served at the Harris Ranch in Coalinga? It’s one of our favorites when we stop during on trips up that way on visits to our grandchildren in Sacramento.

--MARY

DEAR MARY: Such a comforting soup for a chilly evening.

HARRIS RANCH BEEF BARLEY SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 pounds choice sirloin, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

1 large onion, diced 1/4-inch

7 cups water

2 tablespoons low-sodium beef bouillon powder

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2/3 cup quick-cooking barley

1/4 bunch basil, shredded

Salt

Pepper

Heat oil in large skillet and sear sirloin. Add onion and cook until transparent.

In separate pot, bring water to boil and add beef bouillon powder to make stock. Reduce to simmer and add sirloin and onion. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Add carrots, celery and barley. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes. Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

325 calories; 165 mg sodium; 86 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 0.63 gram fiber.