Pinteresting Recipes: Making a Box Cake Bakery Fresh!

Well, it's that time again.. I saw an idea on Pinterest, things happened, blah blah blah Long story short I heard "how to make a boxed cake taste like it came from a bakery" and I thought, "Yes Please!"

"Did anyone ever try this trick on how to make boxed cake taste like it came from a bakery? Step 1: Look at the directions on the cake mix Step 2: Add one more egg (or add 2 if you want it to be very rich) Step 3: Use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount Step 4: Instead of water, use milk. Step 5: Mix well and bake for the time recommended on the box."

 So my Final Cake Recipe included:

4 eggs (I decided to start out adding 1 extra extra egg, you know, to aviod being too unhealthy (you know because the 11 TBSP of butter wasn't unhealthy at all)
1 cup 1% milk
11 tbs butter (Don't judge me!)
1 Pillsbury Moist Supreme Dark Chocolate cake mix

After a Brief consultation with my husband on the baking isle we decided on a dark chocolate cherry cake. So into the basket went the mix, some Duncan Hines Chocolate Whipped Frosting, and Duncan Hines Comstock Cherry filling (More Fruit). The Cake would be a multilayer chocolate cake with cherries between the layers and iced with chocolate. So I prayed, and then mixed up the batter. Despite the extra liquids, the batter was thick. I think I could have easily got that last egg in there (I was concerned about it being too thin but it was not).

While baking, this cake smelled AMAZING. I admit, I forgot to reduce the cook time on the cakes since they were more thin. That being said, the edges were a bit crispier than I would have liked. The center seemed good. Also, I know the picture is on an angle. The bottom pan is not significantly bigger than the top, the picture just makes it look like a snowman.

 At this point I would like to give a shout-out to my best friend when baking: Pam Baking Spray. Best Invention Ever. Both cakes came right out of the pans with zero trouble.

Once the layers were done and cooled, assembly began. I spread a rim of chocolate, filled the layer with cherries, and added another layer. Finally the entire thing was iced and it was serving time. The good thing is, the cake was beautiful... the bad news is that the nice ingredients did not add much to the cake.. in fact I think it was a step backwards. The flavor wasn't improved and it was nothing like what I would consider a "bakery style" cake. That being said, save yourself the milk, egg, and 11 tbsp of butter and just follow the box. Now here are some pictures of the process:

 

So, Will replacing the water and oil with milk butter and an extra egg make your cake an amazing bakery confection?

Verdict: No

Good Eats: Orlando Florida - Pioneers Western Kitchen

Pioneers Western Kitchen Website

Tonight we decided to try a new place and settled on "Pioneers Western Kitchen." We had seen it going to school and the store and decided it was finally time. So we looked up the reviews and discovered they were all good. The menu looked good. Frankly, everything we saw said the same thing "It's good!"

 Pioneers Western Kitchen Website

 The outside looks pretty corporate (very official) so you might be surprised to find out that this is their only Location. They are 11 months old and off to a great start. The Menu has changed  3 times since opening to find just the right mix of food, and they feel the current menu is the best so far (I didn't see the first two, but the food was awesome!).

There was a younger woman at the register who greeted us cheerfully and was more than happy to answer our questions. We ordered and then chatted for a few minutes as no other customers were in line for the moment. We then seated ourselves and enjoyed the bright colors and western decor.

They have an on-going promotion called the "Most Wanted Burger" which names a specific burger and keeps an ongoing tally of how many have been sold. After 500 have been sold, 100 will be given away free! Sounds like a deal to me!

The "Most Wanted" Burger promotion.

Well enough talk, let's get down to the food talk. The menu has options for vegetarians though it was my impression they did not have specific vegan options (reviews gave some of their vegetarian options in high praise).

I got the Smokey Pork sandwich which consisted of smokey pulled pork, prickly pear BBQ sauce and normally comes with house-made slaw but I skipped the slaw. I chose a side of fried apples instead of fries and I must say my meal was not only filling but amazingly delicious. I mean really, what better than pork and apples? The pulled pork has a nice balance of sweet and tang with just a tiny bit of heat (I am a heat wimp, it was not hot, just warmed with spices). The pork was soft with just a tiny bit of tooth and the bread was soft. The fried apples were cooked just enough that they were soft but not mush and had a tiny bit of tang to go with the sweet.

Smokey Pork Sandwich with Fried Apples

 My husband had the Roast Beef sandwich and fries. The Roast Beef consisted of a large helping of thin sliced roast beef with a few slices of soft cooked onion on a soft bun and served with au jus. On the side of the plate was an edible decoration of roasted garlic, jalapenos and rosemary. The fries were cut thin and had a tiny bit of spice on them (not hot) which gave them great flavor and let me tell you, they were addicting... I decided to "just have one" and my husband lost a handful of fries. I stole a bit of his sandwich and it was also amazing. The Roast Beef was tender (not at all tough) and the au just was just the perfect compliment to the sandwich, but I must warn you, get napkins and some of the wet wipes they have at the silverware station, you'll need it!

 All in all Pioneers Western Kitchen was a great meal and did I happen to mention that both meals, each with a drink, came to a grand total of $22.11? We were very happy with the meal and the price. Service was quick and friendly, the food was made fresh and honestly, there were happy hour specials, I can't think of a single thing that we weren't satisfied with.  Well... maybe one thing....

 Not enough guests! 

So please, spread the word and let's pack the booths, table and bar of Pioneers Western Kitchen.

Tied the yarn napkin decoration around my finger to remember
to tell my friends and come back soon!

 The hours posted on the window of Pioneer's Western Kitchen state that they are open 

Monday through Saturday, 11 AM to 11 PM, 

and Sunday 11 AM to 10 PM (as of 7/28/13). 

The hours on the site are slightly different. When in doubt, call ahead to check the hours that day.

Location: 11845 E Colonial Dr, FL 32826

(Behind SunTrust and in the same shopping center as Publix)

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Getting Creative with Drain Cleaning.

So, in our home we have 2 problem causers, the dog and I. I have foot long hair, and she sheds profusely.  I bathe the dog at home and this becomes a problem for our drains, which are constantly draining slowly. SO I decided to get some drain cleaning materials. SO! As I walked the isles of Walmart I realized a crucial flaw in my plan...(or a few crucial flaws):

• Chemical Drain cleaner has mixed results, and ranges between 3 and 6 dollars a bottle.
• I've used products like the Turbo Snake before which runs about $4 and they work well, but $4 for 2 uses was a bit steep for me.
• I am working on a rather fixed budget at the end of the month.

So as I walked through the store I did find something which would work.
A plastic, disposable drain snake like product, and for about 3 bucks you could buy 1. The product made sense to me, little hooks, little wires, all of which grab hair, but I needed a cheap option. On the left is a similar product to the one I found:





As I stood, trying to make the choice between expensive chemicals, or expensive plastic, it finally hit me... "It's just plastic." So I walked to the hardware section and picked up a 5 pack of 24" cable ties (heavy duty) for about $2.50. The plan? Make that expensive drain cleaning plastic thingy. So I gathered up a few materials:

• 1 - 24" (60.9cm) Cable Tie
• Fairly sharp pair of Scissors
  (no flat kiddie scissors here, need to be sharp) 
• A Pair of Slip Join Pliers
• Old Key Ring (optional)

So with materials in hand we begin:

1. Loop the Cable tie as if you are securing something. Pull the loop almost to the top, leaving room for a few fingers (or a hand) to fit in the loop
2. Make small cuts in the plastic (angled away from the loop). The loop will be the handle, the opposite end goes in the drain. The image, right, shows some of my cuts. The loop would be at the top of the image, near the scissors. Do NOT cut over halfway through the tie or the tie might break. Stagger the cuts so two cuts aren't side by side. 
3. Once you've made cuts up the majority of the tie, it is ready to use. Time to get the slip joint pliers. Use these to remove the plug from the bath tub (check your drain, it may be different than mine) by gripping the nob (with nob locked so the tub would hold water) and turn left to loosen. 
4. Once removed gently feed the zip tie down the drain. Feel free to jiggle it a bit to grip the most hair.
5. When pulling it out, go slow and gentle to avoid spatter or the loop locking on your hand 
6. You can use it for 1-2 drains depending on the severity of the clog (more clog = less uses), but these ARE meant to be disposable... I wouldn't really suggest trying to reuse it.

General Warnings:

• Remember the slip look CAN tighten, and if it tightens around your fingers this could be problematic.
  If concerned, loop an old key chain in the tie during Step 1 and use the metal ring to pull.
• If the tie gets stuck, try wiggling, pushing it back downward, or changing your angle.
  Use sheer force at your own discretion and remember to avoid the loop locking on your hand.
• I can't emphasize enough to be careful of the loop, it is helpful but it is still a Cable Tie aka Zip Tie and is meant to tighten and LOCK so it doesn't come open easily.
• Be aware, the stuff you are about to pull out of your drain is gross, and stinks. It is essentially rotting hair and all the crap you washed down the drain. Might wanna light a candle.

So, for about $2.50 you have 5 disposable drain cleaning snakes. For me, they worked like a charm. Drain is moving again. Hope this helps anyone with slow drains.