Bring ON the Food

I love my annual Supper Club Christmas Party.  I have a fun crazy group of friends.  There are always gag gifts somewhere in the mix:  Mystique, the blown glass statue, and the farting Santa are some that have made their way into the mix over the past few years.  Stories from years past and the funny memories that go with them...AU/Georgia Tech game to you Ashley M.! 

The past few years my friend Lisa G. (who is a phenom in the kitchen!) and I have catered our CP.  It's cheaper and it's a chance to bring out our creative side and see if we can make a gourmet meal as inexpensive as possible.  I have to say that we aren't too shabby.  I like it too because we can eat off of fine china.  We only use it a few times every year anyway, so it's a chance to use it again!  Yea!

You know my obsession with Paul Prudhomme's different Magic products.  This summer we used them A LOT.  They are just so yummy, and well, I decided I wanted to break it out for one of the dishes I made for the dinner.

I did the sides this year.  We had:  Beef Tenderloin, Fresh Green Beans with Vinaigrette Dressing, Feta Mashed Potatoes, Baked Apricots, rolls, Red Velvet Cake, and Chocolate Cake.  Below is the finished plate.  Lisa made beef tenderloin, and it was divine!  You almost didn't need a knife to cut it.  It was beautiful.  I was tempted to pick-up my plate and lick it once all the food was gone.  (you'll be glad to know I didn't, it was just a fleeting thought...)



This is the centerpiece on the table.



 I hope the above recipes give you another idea of dishes you can make this Christmas season.  Bring on the food!!!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Just don't get it in my Hair...

 It's another Homecoming in the bag.  I don't know about the kids, but I had a blast.  Last year's homecoming posting was called Joy Bubbles Up, and I have to say, this year's did not disappoint.   Fun is always afoot when you have teenagers around.  Funny things are going to be said & done! My boys don't like for me to take pictures of them, because I take a lot of pictures.  (how did we ever survive before digital pictures?)  So, we were starting the picture taking process and surprise, Harry started complaining.  Of course he didn't want me taking a lot of pictures, but as big Hopson said:  "Do what your mother says...she can't live vicariously though you when you don't cooperate."  Yeah, it's not about them anyway.  Just kidding, it's all about them, but I do want to make sure I have as much recorded for them to go back at look at when they are my age.  I hope to create an atmosphere where wonderful memories can be made.

Anthony & Harry about to get their dates

Hop, Anthony & Harry pondering the meaning of life.

The girls looked beautiful!

Hop & his date Hedy

Anthony, Harper, Taylor & Harry

Oh to be young again...to have my pre-baby body again...nah, I'm at a great place right now.  I have noticed that I'm slowly becoming more of a night owl.  Don't like being a night owl, because no matter what, the early bird in me always wakes up before the sun (or the alarm clock).  I went to bed at 3am uh-huh, love that time.  Been a little loopy today, but I did get a nice nap though & feel much better.

We had freshmen at our house for the after party, which started at midnight. Hop & his date went to a friend's house. We had breakfast, yummy. I made a Sausage & Grits Casserole and a Hash Brown Casserole. We also had Monkey bread, coffee cake, sausage biscuits, and fresh fruit.

After the shaving cream fight.

The real fun came after breakfast.  Let the games begin!  The girls were so funny, they did not want shaving cream in their hair, but once they started playing...all bets were off.  Several ended up with shaving cream splatted on their faces, in their mouths, a little in their eyes, and all in their hair.  We also had an egg toss, food relay race, and a silly string fight.  They were too funny.




How blessed I am to be able to hang out with a bunch of great kids!  They keep me young and give me so much joy.  I love doing stuff like that for my kids.  I hope they can look back and smile and say they had a good time too.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Salt Water Taffy & Cold Pizza

Having a houseful of kids is a true blessing.  I have four, so right now there is always something going on in our house.  When the children are home from school there are sounds and actions surrounding them:  homework; music playing; laughter; sometimes arguing; Lego forts and planes being built and played with; sting pong and shooting pool; lacrosse balls being thrown against the house and caught again; the ping of the bat as it hits a baseball; dancing; but I think my favorite is when their friends come over.

My children are blessed with wonderful friends, all four of them have great friends.  Last night I was allowed to 'sit-in' with Hop's friends.  They let me hang around in the kitchen; listen; and join in on their conversations... yes I understand it's my kitchen, but some teenagers don't like being around adults & won't talk to them.  It was so fun because some of them came over before last night's game & the others came over after.

We talked about everything:  being a leader, girls, t-shirts, football, homecoming, salt water taffy, school, teachers, Jesus, picking on freshmen, accepting responsibility for your actions, and more topics that I can't even remember.  It was ordinary conversation, but it's those times I cherish the most.  For the guys who came over before the game we had salt water taffy and cookies they could snack on & after the game we  pulled out the cold pizza we had from dinner & all of it was inhaled.

I remember my mom doing the same thing.  I now know why she did it.  Not to live vicariously through me, but for me and my friends to reveal our hearts to her, and also to help her remember her time as a teenager.  (and to be glad to have the wisdom that comes with age!  Oh to go back to high school and college with the wisdom I have now...)

Ordinary moments aren't really ordinary when you think about it; they are actually quite extraordinary.  I cherish them in my heart, always.  Thanks guys for a wonderful night of revealing your hearts and making this momma laugh.  May the Lord walk with you all the days of your lives and bless your socks off.  

What ordinary moments have you had with your kids?  I would love to hear them!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Staying Golden

Last night I had a night of laughter.  I mean the, side-splitting, eye crinkling, snorting kind of laughter.  The kind where everyone in the restaurant is staring at your table because you're talking & laughing, loudly.  We all showed up last night with our own set of "luggage".  The kind of burdens that weigh you down so much you feel like you're physically carrying them around with you. You might even feel like there is no one or nothing that can make you feel better.  Well, that is SO not true.

I celebrated my 20th high school reunion last summer.  (Yikes, it looks so much worse written down.)  There is a group of us that have had a supper club for 20 years.  (Shout out to Shannon for keeping us straight for all 20 of those years!!!  And why didn't we vote you class president?)  Not everyone can make it all the time, and we don't meet every month anymore, but maybe we should.  The systemic "dump" that we all had was therapeutic.  Lisa J., I think your next glass of wine is on me, and the next round of water can be on me too.  LOL!  Sorry everyone, inside joke.

Do you have friends like this?  Friends that have known you so long they know what you're thinking.  They can laugh at you and you know they're not doing it to be mean.  They love you enough to tell you the truth no matter how painful.  When life comes crashing down around you they are the first ones there to pick you up and love you through it.  (except Lisa because she didn't tell us, oui!)  I love my high school friends.  I mean the agape kind of love.  Deep abiding love that grows every  year.  When we're together it feels like we're still in high school, and husbands, children, jobs, and life don't matter. 

As I was driving home, I thought of the movie 'The Outsiders'.  Don't ask me why, my mind is twisted and weird and there's a lot of stuff rattling around in there.  But in the movie, Johnny reads a poem to Pony Boy by Robert Frost called:  'Nothing Gold Can Stay'. 

Here's the poem:
Natures first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leafs a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay, 


In the end of the movie Johnny tells Pony to stay golden.  As I thought about that phrase, my friend's faces flashed in my mind.  Amy, Lisa, Cara, Amy, Aundrea, Stuckey, and Shannon.  There are so many others that weren't there, but I felt them with us because the strands of their lives are woven in with mine.  Gold is the hardest color to hold.  It's rare and it's the one color that must be filled with trust and love.  Being golden stands the test of time and circumstances.  There is a trace of it in every memory, laughter, tears.  I'm thankful for my golden friends.  They bless me more than they can ever imagine.  And just in case I forget, I want to tell them I love them & am thankful for everything they have meant to my life.  My life's tapestry is so much prettier with their golden strands!

If you haven't been to MugShots, go with your friends!  Eat a great burger, and have love and laughter fill your table & may your cup overflow!!!  I had the ComeBack burger with onion rings & it was great.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley 

Sore arms and toddlers

I have forgotten how precious & high maintenance toddlers are.  There is a reason God made them so cute.  Before I get into this story, I need to set-up some background.  A few years ago, while under the house, Hopson noticed a leak coming from our shower.  It has gotten progressively worse over the years and he decided that before we fall through the floor, it was finally time for  us to have it properly fixed.  The way you completely fix this kind of problem is to have the shower ripped out, a new pan put in & re-tiled.  For those of you who know Hopson, the thought of this killed him.  For those of you who don't know him...Hopson is a CPA.  Accountants are notorious for being tight with money.  Blood from a turnip kinda tight.  He somewhat fits that description, it just depends what he's spending his money on.  He was not excited about this fix.

Chris was our tile guy last year when we added onto our house.  He does excellent work; he's trustworthy; and he cleans up his mess.  (this makes me thankful.)  It was a no-brainer that we contracted him to do our bathroom.  Chris has two precious children:  Alexis 7 & Ashton 2.  We were able to hangout with Chris' children yesterday.  Ok, this is where we pick-up the story. 

I love my kids.  I have loved each stage of watching them grow up, but I have to say that being out of the toddler stage is no hardship.  I love toddlers in moderate doses.  What are a toddler's two favorite words?  No & mine.  Oh wait, those are a teenager's favorite two words too.  LOL!  I forgot a toddler will put anything & everything in their mouth.  I forgot that a toddler had to be entertained or they will find their own ways to entertain themselves.  They like to be held and loved and get down and go.  They are walking contradictions.  I love when they laugh because there is nothing fake about it.  They are exhausting.  Flitting from this to that & leaving a trail toys, food, & whatever else in their wake.

Chris needed to take his children to the doctor yesterday for their check-ups, and knew that we were fine with him bringing them back over to our house to hang out until he finished his work for yesterday.  Bless that baby's heart, he had to get 4 shots yesterday.  Ashton was such a trooper.  I loved watching him interact with his sister & my children.  But there were times last night when he wanted me to hold him.  It's been a long time since anyone wanted me to hold them for hours at a time, and my left bicep is not very happy with me this morning.  :/  Don't kid yourselves, I loved every second of it.

It took Chris a little longer than he thought to get done last night & I was a very bad hostess.  I didn't have any dinner ready for my kids or his.  I would love to say it was because we were just so crazy that I didn't fix dinner, but it was because I was playing with a 2 year old.  If I had been better prepared I would have served this recipe but would have changed out the bacon with turkey sausage, sliced and sauteed with garlic and onions.  Next time I will be better prepared.  It's a recipe a toddler can easily eat & little ones always like to eat noodles.

I love my children so much.  It's hard for me to fathom how quickly they've grown up.  It makes me a little sad knowing how quickly they are changing, but I am also going to enjoy every minute of it!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Love the Laughter

A little disclaimer:  all the action mentioned happened 2*19*11, but I wanted to post it now.  :)

I love it when my house is packed with teenagers & I hear laughter coming from upstairs.  The playful arguing, the shrill shrieks of someone getting hit hard in sting pong, the silence for a few minutes as they are scarfing down food, but it's the laughter that gets me every time.

It takes me back... It's 1988, we're listening to Boston's 'Peace of Mind', eating Cool Ranch Doritos & M&Ms, and all us girls are watching the guys shoot pool.  (You do know that you don't play pool, you shoot it. My dad hated it when we said playing pool.)  After we were done playing upstairs we would go outside & swim in our pool.  From March to November we would swim.  Thank goodness my dad said that if we were going to have a pool we were going to use it.  Great memories! 

I guess that's why I love having my house full of kids.  Yes they are messy & they'll eat you out of house & home, but it's the memories they are making that make it worth it.  One thing I've tried to tell my kids is to make as many good (doing positive things) memories as you can because once high school is over you can never get that time back.

Oh, I hear someone singing 'Living on a Prayer'.  That one takes me back too!  Sorry, squirrel.

I wish I could go back and tell my parents thank you for everything they did for me and my friends.  They helped me have a wonderful high school experience, and I hope it's a legacy that I can pass onto my children.  But for now, I'm just going to love the laughter.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Thinking of Bill Cosby & Chocolate Cake

I think Bill Cosby is one of the funniest comedians ever!  His take on raising children from 'Bill Cosby:  Himself' is right on the money.  That video came out when I was a teenager.  I thought it was funny then, because I was living the children's side of it, but now I understand the true humor behind it because I now have children of my own.

I can really relate to a lot of the different bits in his monologue.  The first one being when he talks about childbirth.  I know this has nothing to do with cake, but it's a funny part of my life that I like to tell.  My wonderful husband, made the mistake of telling me when I was in intense labor with our first child, that he knew exactly how I felt.  Um, did he really say that?  Yes, he did, and I wanted to slug him, or as Bill said, take his bottom lip & stretch it over his skull.  The labor was a long & painful, and it's story that I won't bore you with here, but know that I had no pain meds (not of my own free will) and the peaks of my contractions were every 30 seconds.  Can you say active labor?

I also love the story of his wife kicking him out of bed and making him make breakfast for his children.  And what did said children get for breakfast, the infamous chocolate cake!  I'm an early bird.  I can get more done before 12pm then I can get done the rest of the day.  I don't fix a big breakfast for my kids for several reasons:  1. they all want different things (Hop ate spaghetti for breakfast yesterday, hey who am I to complain)  2.  they don't eat everything on their plates (if I'm agonna cook it...you're agonna eat it, kapiesh?)  3.  they would rather have the extra few minutes to sleep.  But on weekends, I'll make the big breakfast:  pancakes, bacon, eggs, grits and anything else they may be having a hankering for.  I  have to admit, on rare occasions, if we have cake around, I might let my kids have a slice for breakfast.  Like Bill said, it has eggs, flour, and milk.  Breakfast of Champions!

The Busy Day Chocolate Cake recipe I've linked to was made by my friend, Martha Cook.  Somethings you need to know about Mrs. Martha:  she is a wonderful cook (her husband, Robert, was mentioned on my blog too),  she is a great mother of two precious boys, she is a fabulous attorney, and does many things for our city.  She's a busy momma!  (She also has a kitchen to die for.)   We are in supper club together & Martha was hosting it at her house.  I love supper club.  It's so funny because it's always the girls in one room & the guys in the other.  We talk & laugh, and talk some more.  Some of my favorite memories happen at supper club.  At the end of dinner Martha pulls out this chocolate cake & OH MY, but it is good.  She said it was easy & of course my ears perked up.  You know I don't like to bake.  You have to measure it just right or the dessert will fall or be a brick.  No no, baking is not the life for me, but I think I could do this chocolate cake.  There are not 5 million ingredients & steps, it's super simple & the butter cream frosting, um, it melts in your mouth.  (but it should, it's 4 sticks of butter & 1 pound of confectioner's sugar, I can feel my fanny expanding just talking about it!) 

If you need a great homemade cake in under an hour, you have to make this BDCC!  I think I may have to make on this weekend for the fam.  I could go for a huge hunk of cake right now, but alas, the clean clothes are calling my name! ;)

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

I Just Need a little Adult Time

I am a huge proponent of adult time.  Now whether I get it or not is another story.  With a big active family it is not always possible to achieve this.  But...when it happens I am always glad I was able to be there.  Hopson and I are part of a couples supper club, and have more laughs than we can stand when we are there.  BTW, supper club, I have 2 words for you...Derby Party, be there...

I was trying to think of a different appetizer to take to last night's dinner.  Our group is crazy about Brie.  Ashley Stockard makes one of the BEST Brie appetizers I've ever had.  I really had a taste for that, but couldn't (and didn't want to try to) replicate it.  I also had a taste for a BLT dip that my friend Shannon makes.  What does someone like me do?  Well mix them of course!  When I was at the grocery store getting the Brie, tomatoes, and bacon, I knew it needed a special spice to go with it...but which one.  I'm standing there smacking my mouth trying to taste in my mind what different spices would taste like with the main 3 ingredients & you know what I came up with?  Smoked Paprika.  It's a spice that's a little crazy, but I'm pretty sure I'll use it again, so I didn't mind buying it.  You know how I feel about crazy ingredients. 

The group approved of the BBT appetizer, I think most of it was gone, and that's usually a good sign.  :)

There was a lot of laughter last night, with some talk about our crazy extended families, being groped at the airport, Thanksgiving and cabins, how to properly calculate how long you've been married, cotton bales, peanut oil on knees, youth sports teams, and how great Robert & Martha Cook's boys look wearing Auburn shirts, among other things.  Fun & laughter was had by all ~ minus the Rumplemints.

If you haven't had in any adult time lately, I highly recommend you get some.  It will make your heart fill lighter and your soul feel fuller.  If I don't get to post before next Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!  How blessed I am!!!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Joy Bubbles Up Part Deux

Ok...it's Monday; I think I've caught up on my sleep; & all I know is the more I look at the pictures from homecoming, the more I laugh!  I don't know if the children had as much fun as I did, but a girl can hope.  I am already starting to plan for what we're going to be doing next year.  But, before 2010 is over there will be a shaving cream war rematch.  It will be BYOSC, so if they want to bring 5 cans...who am I to say no? 

Abby, Hopson's homecoming date has entitled her picture cache on facebook, 'so my hair still smells like shaving cream'.  Love it.  I wondered if it make her hair shiny & silky smooth.  Yes, I'm very weird, and my family is aware of it also.  (they are just watching for when they may have to put me on medication...just kidding)

Henry could not wait to play with the shaving cream!  So he, Abby's little sister, Riley, our neighbor, Katie & another friend's son, Woodson, had a great time the next day covering the slide in the backyard with shaving cream & sliding down.  I've included pictures at the bottom.  :)

Enough about pictures, let's get to the good stuff...the food!  We had enough to feed an army!  The kids needed to eat a lot more than they did.  (I should have gotten down my 'to go' plates & made them each fix one.)  Needless to say, I haven't cooked a few days because my fridge is full.  I told you I would post my friend, Traci's, breakfast casserole recipe.  It is sooo easy & delicious.  It's a great all purpose recipe because it can be tweaked so easily without compromising the taste.  It is also easy to double, triple, quadruple, but very easy to make each one taste differently.

Click here to see the recipe. With Thanksgiving & Christmas coming up, I'm going to be posting some old family recipes to share.  (and of course the stories that go with them.) 

I am going to workout now because I ate so much this weekend I think I gained about 5 pounds...Yikes!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Henry giving 2 thumbs up before sliding down the shaving cream slide

Riley (in the white) & Katie (in the blue) getting the slide ready. 

Riley up top, Katie in the red, Woodson in blue & Henry in white preparing the slide!

Joy Bubbles Up Part 1

First of all, let me preface this by saying I only had 4 hours of sleep last night.  Woke up at 4:45 am Friday morning; went to bed at 4 am Saturday & woke up at 8am Saturday.  Wow, sleep deprivation is a killer.  With that said, if I ramble, just laugh at me & know that when I reread this I'm going to be wondering what I was thinking.

Have you ever had an emotion have a taste?  Bitter sadness, maybe...I like delicious laughter better.  I had a huge helping of delicious laughter last night.  It was Vestavia's homecoming & after the dance we hosted about 36 teenagers for breakfast & games.  I have been posting pictures for the kids to see & they are hilarious.  I love it when you have a picture and you can feel the happiness in it.  It reaches out and grabs you & makes you smile too.  Joy bubbles up.  The next thing you know you're laughing because of their happiness.  You laugh because of your memory of what you saw and experienced.  I Love It!  It's no wonder they say laughter is the best medicine, have you ever noticed how you feel after you laugh?  I was able stand back and see memories being formed and relationships strengthened.  What a blessing for me!  It was a great night with some great kids! 

My brother, Cotton, had the idea of game playing after breakfast.  I give him all the credit, because oh my goodness...it was hilarious!!!  I am going to post a few pictures so you can share in the laugh.

There's no recipe in part 1, but I will post a wonderful breakfast casserole that my friend, Traci Parker gave me and the variation that she approved of. 

I'm going to drink something with caffeine. 

Y'all be blessed beyond measure!
~ashley

Abby & Hopson

Hop after the games

Part of the group after the games

Abby & Hopson after the games

Harry had to join in!

Giving credit where credit is due

I submit myself to the Grill Masters....  For a mom who wants to cook something different for the fam, my ribs are not to shabby.  (Click here to see the entry.)  But, Mr. Steve & Mr. Robert are the Grill Masters.

Last Saturday Mr. Steve brought over some very yummy ribs that he made, the traditional way, and told me to 'blog this'.  Hopson thought it would be funny to tell Steve we fed them to the dogs, but in reality we scarfed them down.  They were very good.  The next time I make my crockpot ribs I'm going to tweak the recipe using one of Steve's ingredients & I'll let you know how they turn out.  I can't cook ribs again yet because it's still to soon after the last batch.  I'm trying not to have rib burnout.

Last night, Mr. Robert brought over grilled hot wings.  I have permission to give his recipe, and let me tell you, I could have eaten all of them.  (click the word recipe to see it.)  I loved them grilled and not fried for several reasons:  1.  less fat because not fried; 2.  different flavor yet very tasty; and 3.  I don't have as much clean-up.  He also served them without the sauce for the children & they were great plain too.

Thank you Steve & Robert for allowing me to taste & partake in excellence.  I bow to you 'Oh Masters of the Grill'!  :) 

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Because Football Season is HERE!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!  FOOTBALL!  I like watching all kinds of football, but of course having a high school football player has placed Rebel football at the top of my list.  It's hard to believe that I have a child old enough to play, I keep looking for my little brother, Cotton, instead of my son.  (Cotton is not so little anymore, he turned 31 in May.)  For your viewing pleasure I've included pictures of Hop as he was leaving for his game tonight. Check out the happenin' black socks he's sporting. Nice aren't they?! (he looks like Hopson does when comes home from work & decides to workout in his dark work socks.)  Running a very close second with watching the Rebels play is Auburn football!!! War Eagle, Hey!    

Friends, fellowship, food & football, some wonderful words that start with f.  We love to have parties and watch football, literally all day long. If you're in the area, just call & find out what we're doing, our policy is:  the more the merrier.  Is there anything better than the food?  Oh, it makes you want to stand up and slap your momma. (not recommended of course)  I think I like the grazing aspect of it.  You eat a little, take a break, eat a little, take a break; and on top of all that you get to have wonderful fellowship and make memories with friends.  (I'm always sneaking around with my camera taking pictures, because everything must be documented.)  The joy that football brings to our household.

One of my favorite dishes for football season is actually made by Hopson.  You may have had this, but on the off chance you haven't, happy eating to you my friends!  I asked Hopson who showed him how to make them, and he thinks it was his former boss, Norman Gayle.  Norman is a great hunter, and throws a pretty good party himself.  The first time I had these, they were made with quail and dove, but if you're fresh out of those you can use chicken.  Hopson wanted me to remind you to pound the chicken as thin as possible.  On the recipe I put 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch thick, but you can do it thinner.

I'm trying out a website to list all my recipes, so if you can't get to it, please let me know & I'll post it here.  :)   Well, it's time to go get pumped up for some football!  Go Rebels & War Eagle!!!

For the recipe go to the following link. 
http://wegottaeat.com/ashnance/recipes/chicken-poppers

Be blessed beyond measure!
~ashley

Hop in his great lookin' black game socks.

College, Roomates & Chicken

I had great roommates & neighbors in college.  We were friends in high school & are still friends today.  My freshman year at Auburn we all lived in the dorm. (shout out to dorm 9!) Our sophomore year moved into College Park II when it was brand new. I have so many wonderful memories of that time.

Kim, Monte, Malia & I would cook dinner & sit down together and eat & watch our soap or a movie together.  It was great, we were a little family.  Have you ever noticed how food brings people together & spreads happiness? 

There are two things that I always try to keep in my kitchen:  chicken & rice.  These 2 foods are so versatile, and so good for you.  A few months ago we accidental bought chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts, and I'll be honest, I like them so much more.  It's easier to control portion size, but still get lots of flavor.  We have to buy meat in bulk (2 teenage boys, 1 tween daughter & an 8 year old who eats like the 16 year old).  We plow through 2 pounds of any kind of meat in one sitting.  It's kinda scary, but at the same time, it makes a momma smile.

Momma's Chicken is one of the first recipes my mom gave me when I moved to Auburn.  I remember cooking it for my roommates.  It's so easy, but so tasty.  Even though it's chicken & rice you can really change the flavor by what you use to cook it with.  I made this for dinner last night & was out of one of the ingredients, so I improvised.  That's what's so great about Momma's Chicken.  I'm going to include the original recipe that came from my mom, the way I changed it the 1st time & then how I served it last night.  The versions I'm giving are the 'small' ones, so if you have big eaters, double it.

I'm so thankful for the memories I have from Auburn with my roommates.  We had a lot of laughter, a few tears, but tons of fun.  They mean the world to me! 

Be Blessed Beyond Measure,
~ashley

Momma's Chicken (original)

1 pound chicken breasts
1 cup rice
1 cup water
1 package Lipton onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350
Mix last 3 ingredients until well blended
Pour rice in the bottom of a baking dish
Wet the rice with some water
Place chicken on top of the rice
Pour all of liquid mixture on top of chicken
Cover with tinfoil & cook for 1 hour.


Momma's Chicken (1st tweak)

1 pound chicken breasts
1 cup rice
1 cup water
1 package Lipton onion soup
1 can golden mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350
Mix last three ingredients until well blended
Pour rice in the bottom of the pan
We the rice with water
Place chicken on top of rice
Pour all liquid mixture on top of the chicken
Cover with tinfoil & cook for 1 hour.


Momma's Chicken (2nd tweak)

1 pound chicken breasts
1 cup rice
1 cup beef broth
1 cup sour cream
1 can golden mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350
Mix last 3 ingredients until well blended
Pour rice in the bottom of the pan
Wet rice with water
Place chicken on top of the rice
Pour all of liquid mixture on top of the chicken
Cover with tinfoil & cook for 1 hour.