Perde Pilavi - Happy Birthday to me!

This year, I decided to go all out and make one of my absolute all-time favorite dishes for my own birthday.  (And I bought a frozen cake at the store.) It was a ton of work and a bit nerve-racking, not knowing if it would turn out.  Here is the finished product:  Perde Pilavi!

It's a breaded chicken and rice dish with various seasons and nuts and such.  Oh is it delicious!  I think it's a traditional Turkish wedding dish, with each item signifying different blessings, such as health and children, etc.  I made pea soup to go with it.

Here was one of my "helpers" in the preparations.

 And the other.

And my sweet family gifted me with flowers, a book I've been wanting, and some marvelous Ameretto.  I feel loved.