Great Make ahead Dish for Valentine's Day (Party Chicken with rice pilaf)

Happy Tuesday Sweet Friends,

How are ya?  Staying Warm??

It has been in the 50 and 60's here all 
week, in the day time and dipping into
the high 30's at night.  Cold weather for
 Florida..... but I love it......and I am 
sure this doesn't sound very cold to 
a lot of you.......but it works for us.  lol

Just finished making a new soup recipe
and can hardly wait to try it, will let
you know on Thursday how we liked it.
It sure looks and smells wonderful!

Since my house is still not together.........
but I did get everything down and packed
up, so all we have to do is move it to
the garage tonight!  yeah, Finally!!

So I had this recipe in my draft folder
as I was gonna share it over the Christ-
mas holidays but never got too, actually
it is a repost......... but I think it is such
 a great dish that it bares repeating and
 that someone might like to make for 
their honey or honey's (your children,
 of course) lol  for Valentine's Day.  I
 made it once for a Valentine's luncheon
 for our Pastors wives and they loved it.

I know, I know I am a little early,
but wanted to post something!!  lol
and it will be here before we know
it..........Also, threw in a few past 
Valentine's day pictures.............

You really can make it anytime or
for any occasion,  but I keep it just
for special holidays, like Christmas,
Thanksgiving or Easter......because
I love that it can all be prepared 
ahead of time then just popped in
the oven the day of...........

So without further adieu..............

Party Chicken with Rice Pilaf

*

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

(I use the Tyson flash frozen ones)

*

8 strips of bacon

(I use 4 strips and cut them in half - less fat)

*

1-  jar of dried beef (by Armour Star)

( I usually boil it in some water for about

10 mins. so it loses some of it's saltiness,

and pretty much I don't even use it most

of the time,  and family never knows the

difference, but it is part of the recipe.

*

1 10 oz. can of cream of Mushroom soup

(I use the Campbell's healthy request soup)

*

1-16oz. carton Sour cream

(I use the light sour cream - Less fat)

*

Directions

*

Put dried beef in the bottom of a baking dish,

then wrap Chicken with bacon (1 strip to each

pc. of chicken) and lay it on top of the dried beef.

In separate bowl combine mushroom soup and

the sour cream and mix it up, then spread it on

top of the bacon wrapped chicken.

Bake for total of 3 hrs. uncovered at 275 degrees.

This dish makes it's own gravy and then you
can put in on the rice pilaf, if you like......

Rice Pilaf

*

1 cup Uncle Bens converted rice

(I use 1/2 cup and 1/2 brown rice - good mix)

*

1 can beef broth

( I use the swanson fat free broth, low salt

 for the broth and consomme now)

*

1 can of beef consomme

*

1 med chopped onion

(sometimes I used scallions)

*

Directions

*

Use a corningware type casserole dish.

Put the rice in,  then add the onion and

the broth and consomme.

*

*After the chicken has cooked for one hour,

add the rice pilaf to the oven and let

the chicken and the rice pilaf cook for

 2 more hrs. @ 275 degrees.

I also use this great make ahead salad

 recipe called "24 Hour Salad" 

I shared not too long ago.

  Just click here to see it!

Well, If this dinner doesn't work for

Valentine's Day, there is always Easter 

or Mother's Day or any other

 Special occasion.

Happy you could visit today, so

Thanks for coming by..........

Love, Hugs,

and 

Early Valentine's Blessings,

Nellie

Sharing over at:

Stone Gable with Yvonne and Friends

A Stroll thru Life with Marty

Dwellings with Cindy

Ivey and Elephants with Patti and Paula 


Art and Sand with Carol and Friends


StarFish Cottage with Kristy and Friends


The Craftberry Bush with Lucy and Friends

Shabby Art Boutique with Kerryanne


My Flagstaff Home with Jennifer


A Tray of Bliss with Mimi


Designthusiasm with Lori and Friends


Walking on Sunshine Recipes with Lois and Friends

Party Chops Recipe ( An easy peasy recipe)

Hello Sweet Friends

Hope this finds you doing well.....

Told you last week about a recipe I sort of made up, that was really very easy to make and was truly delicious.  Sorry but I didn't think to take a picture of the Party chops dish until we finished eating!!  lol

So this will have to do for now!

I have dubbed it Party Chops because I sort of got the idea from a "Party Chicken" recipe that I have used for years,  that I got from a friend. In case you are interested in the

 "Party Chicken recipe", 

Just click on it.

We are having that for Thanksgiving, but I make stuffing with it as well. It's a great make ahead dish.  Just so you know..... we heard yesterday from our server at Cracker Barrel that they would not be doing Thanksgiving dinners this year because there was a Turkey Shortage. 

That might just be in Florida but I don't know....so might want to get your Turkeys early.

So...  Anywho, here is the recipe for

 Party Chops

Ingredients

6 boneless pork loin chops

Lawrys Seasoned Salt

1- can of cream of Celery Soup

1- 16 Oz. Sour Cream

Directions

Place Pork chops in a glass baking dish, and sprinkle with Seasoned Salt.  Mix Soup and Sour cream together, and pour over the top of the pork chops evenly.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hr. and 15 minutes. (You Just take a pork chop out and cut into it to make sure they are done all the way if you'd like, cause oven temps. do vary at times. Also cause I forgot to the time I put it in the oven, but I think it cooked about 1 hr. and 15 mins., but not for sure!  lol

I served mine with Jasmine rice and a salad.

Hint: It makes a nice gravy for the rice.  Next time I think I will add 2 cans of soup and 2 containers of sour cream, especially if you and your family like a lot of gravy. 

Hubby and I really enjoyed it.

Well, Thanks for stopping by,

and 

hope you try and enjoy the recipe.

Love, Hugs and 

Mid October Blessings,

Nellie

Sharing with:

A Stroll thru Life

April J Harris

Karins Kottage

Grammy's Grid

Shabby Art Boutique

Modern on Monticello

A Stroll thru Life

Lou Lou Girls

Wonderful Chicken recipe

*

Hiddy Ho Sweet Friends,

*

Hope this finds you well, happy, and unstressed!

*

Well,  today was exciting for me............

I got to go out of the house after 12 days!!

It was only to Walmart grocery shopping but

hey,  after 12 days anything sounds good.

*

I am still fighting the cold,  but feeling so much

better.  Hubby is in the feeling really yukky

stage yet! 

*

My daughter is doing fine,  she went to the Dr.

but was already feeling some better,  but our

concern was appendicitis,  and they ruled that

out,  and told her to give it a few days and

she has had no pain today at all.

So thanks for those sweet prayers,  they

are muchly appreciated!

*

Told some of you I would post that Great Chicken recipe
 I made for Thanksgiving, so thought I would do that tonight!

*

I got this recipe from and old and dear friend named Carol
 about 25 or more yrs. ago.

Can't believe it has been that long ago.

How time does fly!

*

Well,  here it is sweet girls............

*

Party Chicken with Rice Pilaf

*

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

(I use the Tyson flash frozen ones)

*

8 strips of bacon

(I use 4 strips and cut them in half - less fat)

*

1-  jar of dried beef (by Armour Star)

( I usually boil it in some water for about

10 mins. so it loses some of it's saltiness,

and pretty much I don't even use it most

of the time,  and family never knows the

difference, but it is part of the recipe.

*

1 10 oz. can of cream of Mushroom soup

(I use the Campbell's healthy request soup)

*

1-8oz. carton Sour cream

(I use the light sour cream - Less fat)

*

Directions

*

Put dried beef in the bottom of a baking dish,

then wrap Chicken with bacon (1 strip to each

pc. of chicken) and lay it on top of the dried beef.

In separate bowl combine mushroom soup and

the sour cream and mix it up, then spread it on

top of the bacon wrapped chicken.

Bake for total of 3 hrs. uncovered at 275 degrees.

*

Rice Pilaf

*

1 cup Uncle Bens converted rice

(I use 1/2 cup and 1/2 brown rice - good mix)

*

1 can beef broth

( I use the swanson fat free broth, low salt

 for the broth and consomme now)

*

1 can of beef consomme

*

1 med chopped onion

(sometimes I used scallions)

*

Directions

*

Use a corningware type casserole dish.

Put the rice in,  then add the onion and

the broth andconsomme.

*

After the chicken has cooked for one hour,

add the rice pilaf to the oven and let

the chicken and the rice pilaf cook for

 2 more hrs. @ 275 degrees.

*

You will totally enjoy this dish, I can promise you!!

*

*

I love to make things I can make ahead cause I don't like
 spending my time in the kitchen on holidays,  so I prepare

this the day before and just pop it in the oven.  I don't
 preheat the oven so I can take it right from the fridge

to the oven without worrying about my casserole
 dishes breaking from the temp. changes.

*

Well,  dearies hope you have a great weekend,  and you
get caught up if you need to,  and you get help from

your hubbies and children if that is a need as well.

*

I got to wish quite a few people Merry Christmas today, 
 but I was rather disappointed that no one seems to

even know what to do with Merry Christmas anymore! 
 How very Sad!!

*

Oh well,  Keep those lights shining!! It makes people wonder
 why we have so much Christmas spirit,  I am sure!

And watch for opportunities to be a compassionate and
  listening ear. I had a conversation with an elderly lady
 in the store today who has a sick husband and she just
 seemed to need someone to talk to for a few  minutes,
 and I was able to  talk with her for a few mins. as we
were standing at the deli counter and to wish her a
Merry Christmas

 and she seemed surprised, but pleased and  said

 Merry Christmas to you too! 

 and she seemed a lil happier as we parted ways. 
 She was actually the first person that I don't know that
 has said Merry Christmas  back to me this
 Christmas Season. So that was refreshing!!

*

Well, have a great weekend.

*

Till the next time.

*

Blessings and hugs

Nellie

Fall Birthday Table for Megan

Morning Sweet  Friends,

So how was your Thanksgiving??

Hope it was everything you hoped

for and more................

Our's was......it was quite different but we had a

 wonderful day just being together.  Dee and Jerry

 got in late Wed. night,  then we went to Scott and 

Megans early Thurs.morning for nice brunch, of
orange and cinnamon rolls and Scott made a 
special french toast recipe that way really good,
 we also had a breakfast casserole and fruit salad,
so it was all yummy!!

 it was a gloriously beautiful day with just perfect

 weather, so we got to sit out on their pretty porch
 most of the time, talking, drinking coffee, and
 watching the baby play ball with different ones,
 and exploring in their beautiful yard and we also
 rode her around in a lil car she has, that is like
 a stroller............ so cute! 

 So it was all very refreshing and fun for us,
 since we live in Florida and we don't get a lot

 of those type of Fall days.  Our lil darling loved

it too, since she is an outdoor girl like her da da.

When we left there we went to see Susan at the

 rehab center and she had a nice Turkey dinner

there, which was good.  She was celebrating
her Thanksgiving by being grateful that the Dr.
said her hip has healed completely and that
she would be released to come home soon, and 
she did come home this past Sunday, and is
 doing well............we are all very happy 
about that.

Later the 4 of us, Dee, Jerry and us, went to 

Cracker Barrel and looked around the gift shop 

while we were waiting on a table,  then we had

a nice dinner, getting whatever we wanted,

hubby and I got the traditional Thanksgiving

dinner and it was very good, and the kids loved

there not so traditional Thanksgving dinner as

well....  then went by to feed Susan's pets, then

 went home and had our dessert we brought

home with us and coffee.  My fav part of the

meal....chocolate pecan pie........Yummo!

So it was about as close to a perfect day as it

 could be.............considering how different it
 was,  that just goes to show that different
doesn't mean it's a bad thing!

Now the table I am showing you today is
 Megan's birthday table, since her birthday
 comes right after Thanksgiving, so since I still

had all the Fall decor up decided I would make
 it a Fall table too.  We also had a dinner menu
 like what I would typically  make for
 Thanksgiving..... which is not Turkey.........

but a lovely chicken dish called party

chicken, with rice and 24 hr. salad,

 since we didn't get to have Thanksgiving 

dinner together, and then her favorite

dessert strawberry shortcake.

If you would like the Party Chicken recipe,
which is awesome and easy, and a great
make ahead dish that helps keep you out of 
the kitchen more on the big day and it is
 perfect for any holiday.
Just click here!

Here is a look down the table. Early in

Fall I had bought some new fall napkins

from bed bath and beyond, 2 brown, 2 

green, 2 rust, and 2 gold, they were a set

 for $8.00,  and I got them for what I would

have paid for shipping when I was buying

something else, figured might as well pay

a lil more and get free shipping and have

something to show for it........lol

I had these pretty fall paper napkins so

I just wrapped them around the cloth

napkins for color and beauty.

The Birthday girls place at the end of the table,

the place of honor for the special persons day.

A lil bouquet for her at her place setting!

Decided to use fresh flowers for her table and was so 

happy I was able to find some Fall flowers still cause

 was a bit concerned everything might have

already turned to Christmas colors.

  I love chrysanthemums especially this time of the year

but they are hard to work with for me, when doing a floral

arrangement cause of their thick stems.

 Already had this copper and green ribbon,  so just ran

that down the center of the table to highlight the copper

candleholders.  I used the large one as a vase, and

love these gold pumpkins with it too.

I tell you it was fun to be creating a tablescape again

cause it seems like it has been forever since I did any

thing creative............so really enjoyed putting this

together. Creating beauty just makes me happy!

Here is a close up of the smaller

candle holder.  I really love mercuy

glass and had never seen any in the

copper color, so hubby and I were

both very taken with it...........and

the price was great,  all 3 of them

for less than $10.00.

You can see they all have the same shape

just one is much larger than the others.

Used my brown glasses I got last year in Asheville.

they were a nice compliment. 

Here's an overview

Well, that's all folks.............

hope you enjoyed your visit.

Can hardly believe it is Dec 2nd

already............

My plan today was to take down

 all my Fall decorations but just

 realized...... I need to get all our

gifts to Dee and Jerry wrapped,

and get some things together

that they left here, so Scott and

 Megan can take them to Dee and

 Jerry this Friday when they go meet

 in Ga.for the weekend.  Also have

 a few things I need to order online

 as well,  so there you have it.

Since we have our lil darling

 tomorrow it will make it more fun

 for her and us to look at Fall stuff

 rather than a bare house.........lol

I am itching to get started tho,

so Thursday's the day or maybe

even Wed. night......depends 

on my energy levels.

Well,  you have an awesome

week............I am sure you will 

be doing some Christmas 

decorating, so be sure to put on

some traditional Christmas music

 so it cheers you on, with the real

meaning of Christmas!!

Am sharing over at:

Cindy's for Amaze Me Monday

Marty's for Inspire Me Tuesday

Karin for Centerpiece Wednesday

Patti and Paula for What's it
Wednesday

If you are in need of decorating
or cooking inspiration just check
 out a few of the above blog
 parties, you want be disappointed
 I assure you!!

Love ,  Hugs, and Fun

 Christmas Decorating Blessings,

Nellie