Chicken Thighs and Rice with Bacon. 'Nuf said...

There is nothing more delicious than a "comfort" meal, and this is surely one of them.  This dinner is very easy to make,  and although the cooking time is a bit lengthy... about 1 1/2 hours, it gives you a chance to get the rest of your dinner together while it cooks.

Begin by getting your ingredients together:

½ pound of bacon

1 cup of long grain, uncooked rice (I used Near East Rice Pilaf)

how ever many chicken thighs you need (I used 10)

salt and pepper to taste

Paprika

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup water

sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder

pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp basil

a generous sprinkle of parsley

Begin by covering the bottom of your baking dish with strips of bacon.

The next layer is the rice.  I used a box of Near East rice pilaf.  I kept the seasoning pack separate.

Now for the chicken.  I used boneless skinless thighs and placed them flat on top of the rice.

Season with the packet from the rice, some ground black pepper, and paprika.

The sauce is very simple to make.  In a bowl, combine the soup, 1 cup of water, a generous sprinkle of garlic powder, a small sprinkle of nutmeg, a teaspoon of basil and about a tablespoon of parsley.  Whisk everything together until well blended and pour over the chicken.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in a 300 degree oven for an hour and a half.  Add some brussel sprouts that were roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, and you have a perfectly delicious, easy dinner.  The leftovers were just as yummy and gone before dinner time the next night!

grilled zucchini roll-ups

These rolled-up delights were so flavorful and delicious!  They were the perfect side dish for a summer dinner.  Here are the ingredients you will need:

2-3 zucchini (on the smaller side)

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Goat Cheese (about ½ cup)

1 Tbs fresh parsley leaves, chopped

½ tsp lemon juice

1 cup of baby spinach leaves

fresh basil leaves

Begin by using a mandolin slicer to make long thin strips of zucchini.  Coat each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat up your grill, about medium high.  When the grill is hot, cook the zucchini so that you get good grill marks on both sides.

Once the zucchini is cooked, set it aside and combine the ingredients for the stuffing.  For the goat cheese, blend together the parsley, lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper.

One by one, take a slice of zucchini, lay some spinach leaves and a few fresh basil leaves on top.  Take about a teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture and place it on the leaves.  Roll the zucchini up and place on a serving plate.  That is all there is to it. 

They are served cold so you can make them in advance and store in the fridge.  You could make them for an appetizer as well, and maybe even add either a shrimp or even a piece of sausage in the center.I have to say, not only do they taste delicious, but they look amazing!  Enjoy......