Carole asked for the recipe for the chicken and rice that ended up as a cinder. I am nothing if not compliant. It is a very easy recipe and one that is infinitely variable and tolerant of being held in a warm* oven until your family arrives.
No-Peek Chicken
2 cans Campbell's cream soup (cream of mushroom, celery, chicken, broccoli, whatever sounds good)
1-1/4 c. brown rice (The original recipe used white rice but that stuff has never had a place in my kitchen.)
1/4 c. water
1 envelope dry soup mix (Ex: Lipton's onion; onion-mushroom; Knorr Fine Herb + 1 t. instant minced onion)
8 - 10 pcs. chicken, or 1 chicken, cut up (Remove skin to lower fat content and calories.)
PREHEAT oven to 325°.
COMBINE cream soups and half the soup mix; reserve 1 c. for top. Combine remaining soup mixture with the water and rice. Put the rice mixture into greased 9"x13" pan.
SEASON chicken pieces with pepper and onion salt or Lawry's seasoned salt, if desired. Arrange on top of rice mixture. Spread with reserved soup mixture and sprinkle with remaining onion soup mix.
COVER with foil and bake for 2-1/2 hours. Uncover and bake additional 15 - 30 minutes.
YIELD: 6 - 8 servings
* A warm oven, not one that has decided to go into Fires From Hell mode as mine did.
