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2nd June 2008: Beef and Potato Bake

Ingredients:
~1 lb. ground beef
~1 or 2 thin slices of onion (Maybe substituted with onion salt)
~2 potatoes sliced
~1 can of cream of mushroom soup (Maybe substituted with cream of chicken)
~Shredded cheese
~Salt
~Pepper
~Garlic powder (Optional)
~Meat seasoning salt (Optional)

Preparation:
Press the beef flat into the bottom of an 8” or 9” round/square cake pan. Season it with salt, pepper, and optional spices to your likening. Layer the onion slices over the meat evenly. (Or use onion salt for flavor.) Then place a single layer of potato circles over the meat. Then pour in the cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken soup). Do NOT add water. Next sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese. Add a very light dusting of pepper over that and place in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. (Note: Don’t forget to preheat the oven.)

Serves:
About 3 to 4 people

My review:
This was the first time I made this dish. While preparing I realize that I didn’t have onions or cream of mushroom so I had to substitute those ingredients with the ones you see above. It turned out better than I had thought it would. For the side dishes I re-heated my cook squash and I made instant yellow saffron rice. The yellow saffron rice was an odd side dish with it and I think now I should have just prepared a salad instead, but dinner was very nice. I think also if I had had the ingredients that it originally asked for my dinner would have been perfect.

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4th June 2008: Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients:
~ 4 average size strips of chicken breast
~ 2 tablespoons cooking/vegetable oil
~ 1 ½ cups of long grain rice
~ 1 cup chopped onion (Or onion salt)
~ 2 minced cloves of garlic (Or garlic powder)
~ 3 cups of water
~ 1 can (7 ½ ounces) of cut up tomatoes
~ 1 cube of instant chicken bouillon broth
~ 1 teaspoon Salt
~ ¼ teaspoon saffron
~ ¼ teaspoon pepper
~ 1 cup frozen peas

Preparation:
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Cook in hot oil in a skillet for about 15 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Remove chicken from pan. To keep warm place on cookie sheet and leave near the stove top until needed again. Next pour rice into the skillet with the chicken and oil drippings. Add salt, pepper, saffron, garlic cloves (powder), and chopped onions (onion salt). Stir and evenly coat rice in oil until golden brown. Then add water, un-drained tomatoes, and chicken bouillon cube. Bring to a boil and stir. Place the chicken atop the rice to simmer and cover with lid for 30 minutes. Then add peas and cook for 5 more minutes.

Serves:
About 5 to 6 People

My Review:
I love this dish. Even with all the oil it’s pretty healthy. The best part of this dish is chicken and peas. It makes for a great dinner with friends or family. I did make a slight alteration to the recipe however. Originally it asked for slice pimientos, which taste blah! (In my opinion of course, but if you want them put them in when you put in the peas.) Amazingly I found this recipe in an old late 70’s cook book hiding in with the other ancient books on my mom’s shelf. Usually when I make this dish I only make a simple salad to go with it. I haven’t found anything else that can compliment its unique flavor. Because of all the vegetables and rice packed in it the Arroz con Pollo is like its own side dish! It’s a super meal! I have thought about preparing mashed potatoes to go with it. It is one of the perfect side dishes after all!

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9th June 2008: Devil's Choco-Cake Cookies

~ 1 Box of Devil's food cake mix
~ 2 Eggs
~ ½ Cup canolia oil (or vegetable oil)
~ 1 or 2 Cups of chocolate chips or white chocolate chip

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs with fork. Mix together the eggs and oil in a large bowl. Then mix in the cake mix. Add in chocolate chips. Make small dough balls and place them on an UNGREASED cookie sheet two inches apart. Place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Place on cookie rack or paper towels to cool.

Makes:
About 2 dozen cookies

My Review:
This recipe is stupid easy! I had the cookie dough on the cookie sheet ready to go and I had to wait for the oven to finish preheating that's how easy this recipe is! And it's tasty like nobody's business! I'm a big chocolate lover and these were prefect! Screw regular chocolate chip cookie! I'm making this one from now on! But if you're not in the mood for chocolate then you can use any other kind of cake mix and replace the chocolate chips with nuts. If you like cookie then try baking up some of these!