Homemade Horchata!

I made homemade Horchata (Mexican cinnamon rice milk drink) today and it was SO good!! Ten times better then at any restaurant! Here is the recipe I adapted:

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INGREDIENTS:
1 cup raw or blanched almonds
2/3 cup white rice, uncooked
2 1/2 cups water + 3 cups water
one 3-inch cinnamon stick + dash ground cinnamon
2/3 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large blender canister or large bowl combine almonds, uncooked rice, 2 1/2 cups warm water, cinnamon stick, blend on low for one minute and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours (overnight).
2. Remove canister from the refrigerator, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, or until blended as smoothly as possible.
3. Add sugar (to taste), vanilla extract, 3 cups more water, a dash of cinnamon and blend again for 2 more minutes, or until mixture is as smooth as possible.
4. Strain horchata through a cheesecloth. Serve immediately as is, over ice, or refrigerate and serve chilled, shaking before if mixture has separated. 

Notes. I used raw almonds, jasmine rice, added a little more water and cinnamon and did less vanilla extract and it was PERFECT! yummy yummy yummy! I also strained mine through a regular tea towel because I didn't have a cheese cloth (the cheesecloth would have probably been easier) but it worked perfectly fine. Make sure you strain it really well or you will have a very "gritty" drink.