Stuffed Baked Chicken Breasts

1 pkg. Lipton vegetable soup mix

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c. uncooked regular rice

1 sm. clove garlic, chopped fine

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 ten-oz. pkg spinach, cooked and squeezed dry

1/2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese

1/2 med. tomato, coarsely chopped

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1. 
   
   In a medium saucepan, blend vegetable soup mix with water. Bring to a boil, and stir in uncooked rice.  Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until tender.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Stir in remaining ingredients except chicken; set aside.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Preheat oven to 350.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   With a sharp knife, parallel to cutting board, make deep 3-inch long cut in the center of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Evenly stuff pockets with rice mixture.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   In lightly greased baking dish, arrange chicken and bake uncovered, basting occassionally, 40 minutes or until done. If desired, sprinkle with paprika.  Makes 8 servings.
   
   
   

Recipe from The Meals on the Bus Go Round and Round: Favorite Recipes Collected by the Merrillville Transportation Department.

CHANGES I MADE:

• 
  
  I'm not sure what the recipe write meant by regular rice, but I used Minute Rice brown rice.  A-OK.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Again, unsure of exactly what the recipe writer meant, I didn't cook the spinach.  I just thawed it, rinsed it, and squeezed it as dry as I could.  It was fine that way.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Half a tomato didn't seem like enough, so I used the whole thing.  I like tomatoes.
  
• I pressed the garlic with my garlic press rather than chopping it.  That way, my fingers don't stink like garlic for three days.
  
  
  

THINGS I LEARNED:

• 
  
  Recipe writers in cookbooks are much more precise with instructions.  That must be why they get paid.  :)
  
  
  
• 
  
  There were not eight servings here.  I don't know if chickens have grown exponentially since 1999 when this cookbook was put together, but there were only three chicken breast halves in the 2-lb package I bought.  I trimmed the flappy part off to make three additional smaller portions (perfect for the girls or second helpings), but there were not eight servings.
  
  
  
• 
  
  There was a lot of leftover stuffing.  I put it in the fridge, hoping I can find a use for it in a day or so before it goes bad.
  
  
  

OVERALL OPINIONS:

Bill:  Liked it a lot.  Had seconds.

Emma:  Liked it, but ate around a lot of the stuffing.  She ate some of the stuffing, but she avoided as much as she ate.

Georgia: Really enjoyed the chicken.  I think she may have accidentally gotten some of the stuffing, too, but she avoided it almost entirely.

Me:  Mmmmm...  It was really good.