Cherries In The Snow - cooking recipe

Ingredients

The Snow Layer
3 cups white rice, cooked
3 1/3 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 (1 tablespoon) envelope unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
Cherry Topping
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring

Preparation

Combine rice, 3 cups milk, sugar, salt and butter.
Cook over medium heat 20 to 25 minutes, or until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally.
Soften gelatin in remaining 1/3 cup milk. Stir into rice mixture. Add extracts and remove from heat and let cool.
Fold whipped cream into rice mixture and gently spoon into a 9x13 smoothing the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or until thoroughly chilled.
Make the cherry topping by stirring the almond extract and a few drops of food coloring into the cherry pie filling (I usually use wilderness brand) and gently spread the cherry filling over the rice layer-being careful not to stir 'into' the rice layer.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve!