Recipe(tried): Sunday Dinner at Our House - Roasted Chicken with Brown Gravy, Ambrosia with Orange Dip

Hi,everyone! I tried a new chicken dish today that was absolutely wonderful. My daughter's boyfriend has come down to stay with us until New Year's Day. When I asked what he liked to eat, she told me that he liked anything that clucked--just like she does!

Today for lunch we had: Roasted Chicken with Brown Gravy, smashed potatoes, fresh green beans, rolls, CLAUSSEN Pickles, ambrosia with orange dip, and sweet tea with lemon.

The original chicken recipe was in a Taste of Home Country Chicken Cookbook. I used chicken breasts instead of a broiler-fryer.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH BROWN GRAVY

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
4-6 chicken breasts, with skin and bones
4-6 bacon strips--one for each chicken breast
1 can onion seasoned beef broth
1/4 cup cold water
1 T. flour
PAM Cooking Spray
3 T. butter

Combine rosemary, sage, chopped onions, and garlic. Place half of this mixture in a 9X13" pan that has been sprayed with PAM. Place chicken breasts on top of the vegetable mixture. Arrange a bacon strip on each chicken breast. Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Place pats of butter on each breast. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Add broth to pan; baste chicken with broth. Reduce heat to 350. Bake, basting several times, for 1 hour or until juices run clear. Remove chicken breasts from pan and keep warm. Skim off excess fat from pan juices. Drain the liquid from the pan using a colander. Throw away the vegetables. Place the liquid in a microwave-safe bowl. In a measuring cup, combine flour and water. Pour this flour mixture slowly into the liquid from the chicken. Microwave on HIGH for 5-6 minutes or until gravy has thickened. Crumble bacon into gravy. Serve with chicken.

AMBROSIA WITH ORANGE DIP

4-5 navel oranges, peeled and sliced into sections--reserve the orange peelings
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup coconut
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

Put the oranges, cherries, pecans, and pineapple tidbits into a clear, glass bowl. Sprinkle with coconut. Place in the refrigerator and allow the fruit to get cold.

ORANGE DIP

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 large jar marshmallow creme
3 T. orange juice
1 T. grated orange zest

Using the food processor, combine the cream cheese, marshmallow creme, orange juice, and orange zest. Allow the ingredients to blend. Pour the mixture into a jar and allow to get cool.
To serve, place ambrosia on a plate. Pour some of the orange dip on top of the ambrosia.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful, peaceful New Year!