6 Common Cake Baking Mistakes

Here is a rundown of some common mishaps that happen when making a cake from scratch and how you can avoid them:


1.  If your cake is too heavy
       
       This is sometimes caused by the oven's heat being a little too low or by using too much sugar, butter or shortening.


2.  Coarse-grained cakes
       
       If you're cake is very coarse and grainy, this could be the result of too much leavening ingredients, such as baking powder being used.  It can also be caused be insufficient beating of butter and sugar or because the butter wasn't beaten enough before the addition of eggs.  Basically, a coarse, grainy cake is the bi-product of not mixing them ingredients together well.  The ingredients won't be incorporated while baking so this will leave dry spots.



3.  Cake Falls Flat

       When a cake falls flat, this is the result of using too little flour or rising ingredients.  The temperature in the oven could have also been too high.  If you move a cake in the oven after the cake has risen, but before the cell walls have become fixed or firmed by the heat your cake will fall flat, as well.



4.  A "bready", too-solid consistency

       A cake turns out with a solid and bready texture when too much flour has been used.


5.  Cake has an uneven surface

       When an oven is too hot, it can cause a cake to present an uneven surface.  Be sure to put your cake in the middle rack of the oven, to avoid uneven consistency.  When the heat is too hot or uneven, the top of the cake crusts over before the internal mixture has risen to its full height and bursts at its weakest place, which is usually the top.



6.  Streaking on the bottom

       A heavy streak at the bottom of a cake is usually caused by using too many egg yolks in proportion to other ingredients, or by having the heat too low and baking the cake too slowly.




That's my cake baking PSA for the day!           

1 Month Blog Anniversary GIVEAWAY Ends 5/26

I wanted to show my appreciation for the fans that have been supporting me for the last month with my new blog endeavor by hosting a giveaway!  

There will be 2 Prize Packs and 2 winners!  1st Prize winner gets the Prize Pack of their choice.


Here's what you could win:


Prize Pack #1

I'm a big fan of nail art and so I decided to put together a prize pack for the fellow nail art lovers out there.  This prize pack includes:

  
1 bottle L.A. Looks Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer Ice Breaker polish

1 bottle Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color Kinetic Copper polish

Nail Art 8 different mini bottles of nail art glitter

4 rolls of nail art striping tape in pink, silver, purple and green



Prize Pack #2

This prize pack is full of craft and household items.

1 Verizon Wireless SanDisk 2 GB Memory Card with full-size SD Adapter

Crafter's Square 5 pack of craft glitters

1 package of 8 Glade Wax Melts Pure Vanilla Joy Scent   

1 1/2 in. x 9 ft. roll of Offray ribbon with pink heart pattern

3 packages (27 stickers each) Colorbok To/From Stickers - Thank You theme, Birthday theme and Love theme.  




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

This stuff is so easy and so good.  I make pretty much anytime I make Mexican food.  This is way better than buying a pre-packaged Mexican or Spanish rice mix.

Here's how to throw this delightful side dish together:


1.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or skillet.  Use the largest saucepan you have, so that the rice has room and isn't piled on top of each other.

2.  Once, the oil is hot add the rice and stir it constantly, until it begins to lightly brown.  It should look like this:

3.  Flavor the rice with minced garlic, salt and cumin and stir to incorporate the flavors.

4.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth and cilantro to the saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Then, reduce the heat to low.

5.  Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the rice simmer for 20-25 minutes.  That's all there is to it!

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup tomato sauce (8 oz. can)
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
3 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat.  Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown.  Add garlic, salt and cumin and stir until well combined.  Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth and cilantro and turn the heat up to medium high.  Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.  Simmer for 20-25 mins.



Hope you liked this recipe!  It makes a perfect side dish for any Mexican dish.  

Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole

So gooey, so good and easy to put together.  It's a twist on traditional enchiladas.  It's almost like a combination of a burrito and an enchilada.  Let me show you how to make this awesome casserole.


1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  

2.  Brown the ground beef and onion.  When this is done, drain the fat.

3.  Season the meat with chili powder and cumin.  Then, add the a can of pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed and chopped green chiles.  Simmer for a minute or two to incorporate the flavors and, then, set aside.

4.  Whisk together sour cream, flour and garlic powder in a medium bowl, until flavors are incorporated.

5.  Place 4 6 inch in diameter corn tortillas on the bottom of the dish, They will overlap and there will be spaces that won't get covered, but that's okay.

6.  Top this with half of the meat mixture, followed by half od the sour cream mixture.

7.  Drizzle half of the red enchilada sauce on top of the other two layers.

8.  Repeat these layers again, to finish up the casserole.

9.  Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes

10. Uncover the dish and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top.  Then, bake for about another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.


Here's what it looks like all plated up.  It's very cheesy and gooey!

Here's the recipe:


Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole

1/2 1b. ground beef
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 4 oz. can diced or chopped green chiles
8 oz. sour cream
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
8 6 in. corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce (a large can)
1 1/2- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x 13 in. baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion together until beef is browned.  Drain fat.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, beans and chiles; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, flour and garlic powder.  Place half of the tortillas on the bottom of the dish.  Top with half of the meat mixture, spoon half of the sour cream mixture on top of the meat mixture and drizzle 3/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on top of that.  Repeat the layers one more time.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle on the cheese and bake 5 minutes more.




Hope you enjoyed this recipe!  I'm going to have a follow-up recipe to this one on tomorrow's post.  So tune in tomorrow for a side dish recipe to accompany this casserole.  

New and Upcoming Tiltles on Netflix Streaming 5/9

It's Friday, so that means it's time to talk about what's new on Netflix streaming.  I've decided to add a list of titles that have been recently added and titles that will be added in the next week, just to cover all the bases.  It's hard to track down this information ahead of time and I want to try and give you guys the most complete list I possibly can.  



Newly Added to Netflix Streaming

The Anonymous People (2013)  Kristen Johnston, Chris Herren

Jamesy Boy  (2014)  Mary-Louise Parker, Taissa Farmiga

Bitten  (2014)  Laura Vandervoort, Greyston Holt

Back in the Day  (2014)  Morena Baccarin, Danielle Bisutti

Eyes of the Mothman  (2011)  James Beicker, Beau T. Bellamy

Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded  (2014)  Jon Roberts, Mickey Munday

Best Night Ever  (2014)  Desiree Hall, Samantha Colburn

The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box  (2014)  Aneurin Barnard, Michael Sheen

Much Ado About Nothing  (2012)  Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion

Royal Pains: Season 5


Upcoming Netflix Streaming Titles


Available 5/10

Pain and Gain (2013)  Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson


Available 5/11

American Dad: Season 8

Emperor  (2012)  Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones


Available 5/13

Free Birds  (2013)  Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson

Stranger By the Lake  (2014)  Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou


Available 5/15

Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special (2012)

Jenny McCarthy's Dirty Sexy Funny  (2014)




That's all for now.  Keep checking in for new Netflix updates.


      

42 Cheap and Easy Cleaning Hacks

These cleaning hacks are really cheap and easy and can save you time and money.  I've got cleaning hacks to help you clean almost everything in your house.  


Crayon Marks

 This is what some of the walls in my house look like.  There are 2 ways to remove crayon marks, depending on the surface that you need to clean.

On Wood:  Slather mayo on the crayon marks and let it set for 10 minutes.  The combination of oil and egg dissolves the crayon wax.  Then, just wipe it clean with a cloth.

On Walls:  Squeeze some toothpaste (not the gel kind) onto a damp cloth and lightly scrub until the marks are gone.  This method works similar to the way that toothpaste removes plaque from teeth with out damaging enamel.



Stained Mugs

To get rid of coffee and tea stains on coffee mugs, squeeze half a lemon into the mug.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then add a spoonful of salt and scrub it with a lemon wedge.


Stickers on Glass

Little ones putting sticker on mirrors and windows?  You can get remove them by covering the glass surface in vegetable oil or baby oil.  Let this sit for 15 minutes, then scrape the stickers away using a metal spatula.


Rusty Metal Pots, Pans, Tools, Etc.

Submerge rusty stuff in a cola bath for a few hours.  The cola's combination of phosphoric acid and carbonic acids eat away at the rust.  If you need extra help removing the rust, cut a raw potato in half, dip the cut end in baking powder and then scrub.  The oxalic acid in the potato is also a great rust remover.


Stains on Microfiber

If you have a microfiber couch, like I do, then you know how hard it can be to get stains to come out of it.  The reason for this is that Microfiber is 80% polyester, a plastic that absorbs stains much like Tupperware absorbs spaghetti sauce.  There is a trick for getting those stubborn stains out, though.  Take some foaming shaving cream (not the gel kind), and dab it on the stain, let it sit for 10 minutes, then blot it with a dry cloth.  You may need to repeat it a second time for a particularly bad stain.  Unlike liquid cleaners, the shaving cream's thick consistency prevents the spot from spreading while you are trying to remove it.


Baked on Food in the Oven

I confess that I've let my oven get to this level of griminess more than a few times.  It's just so much work and so time-consuming to clean an oven, but there is an easier way.  With the oven off, place a half of a cup of ammonia on the top rack and a cup of water on the bottom rack.  Leave both containers in the oven overnight, and then remove them in the morning.  Now, you should be able to easily remove residue with a plastic scraper or a spatula.



Blinds    

To remove the dust and grime from your blinds, wrap a cloth around a spatula and secure it with a rubber band.  The, dip it into a solution of one part rubbing alcohol and 4 parts water.  Close the blinds, facing downwards, and drag the spatula from top to bottom.  Then, repeat this moving from left to right.


Stains on Leather

You can use artist's gum to rub out smudges and stains on leather surfaces.  You can find artist's gum at any art supply store.  If you need to restore your leather's shine, cover the surface in egg whites and let sit for 10 minutes, then wipe off.


Wax Dripping on Tables and Surfaces

On all hard surfaces, you can use ice cubes to freeze the wax. Then, you can remove it using a scraper or spatula.


Dishwasher Scum

To clean the mildew and scum out of your dishwasher, fill the container with powdered lemonade mix, then run on the rinse cycle without dishes.  The citric acid can remove mineral deposits and iron stains that accumulate inside your dishwasher.


Carpet Stains

For pet urine:  Pour club soda on the stain and blot with a towel.  Then, spray with vinegar and sprinkle on some baking soda.  Vacuum up the baking soda when it dries.

For Gum:  Apply a analgesic heat rub, like Bengay, to the gum, then heat it with a hair dryer.  Press a plastic sandwich bag on the gum and pull it away from the carpet.

For Clay:  Fill a Ziploc bag halfway full of water and freeze flat.  Place this on top of the clay for five minutes until frozen, then use a spatula to scrape it up.

For Coffee Stains:  Beat an egg yolk and work it into the stain with a wash cloth for about a minute.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.



Acrylic Paint on Clothing

Just dab the paint with some rubbing alcohol and wash as you normally would.



Air Vents

Use a multi-surface cleaner, like 409, a metal butter knife and a cleaning rag to clean air vents.  First, wrap the cleaning rag around the knife.  Next, spray the vent with the cleaner and insert the cloth-covered knife in between the slats.  Clean them from side to side.



Armpit Stains on Clothing

For these stubborn stains, make a mixture of 1 tsp. dish soap, 3-4 Tbsp. of hydrogen peroxide and 2 Tbsp. of baking soda.  Then, scrub it until the stain comes out.



Bath Toys

To clean rubber duckies and other bath toys, mix 1/2 cup white vinegar with a gallon of water and let the toys soak for an hour.  Then, squeeze all of the water out of them.  You can also add a dab of hot glue to the air hole of bath toys to keep water from collecting inside and growing mold.



Bathroom and Oven Exhaust Fans

Use canned air to blow the dust and debris out of exhaust fans.  Dusty exhaust fans are a common cause of household fires.



Burnt On Food On Pots and Pans

Fill the bottom of the pan with water and add a cup of white vinegar.  Bring this to a boil.  Then, take the pan off of the heat and add 2 Tbsp baking soda.  Finally, empty the pan and scrub.



Charcoal Grill

To clean the grates of a charcoal grill, take a white onion, peel it, cut it in half, and stab a fork into the small end of one half of the onion.  Use the fork to rub the onion back and forth over the grates of a hot grill.  The onion will deglaze the grates and it will even add a little flavor to the next meal you make on your grill.



Curling Iron

Just rub a piece of plain steel wool onto the metal rod of your curling iron to buff out stains.



Cutting Boards

The best way to clean your cutting board depends on what material your cutting board is made of.

Wooden Cutting Boards:  Cut a lemon in half.  Then, rub down the cutting board with the lemon half (pulp side down)  and set aside.  Next, cover the cutting board with kosher salt and let that sit for 10-15 minutes.  Finally, use the lemon half and rub the salt into the cutting board with it.  Rinse with water and dry off.

Plastic Cutting Boards:  Soak these in a mixture of bleach and water in the sink for at least an hour to remove germs and stains.



Dryer Ducts

Dirty and clogged dryer ducts are one of the leading causes of house fires.  Here is an easy way to clean your dryer ducts, without having to pay a professional.  First, unplug your dryer and turn off the gas if you have a gas dryer.  Remove your lint trap, along with any lint from the screen.  Then, using a stiff, flexible brush (a brush designed to clean vents), bend the brush and run it inside the lint trap.  Use a shop vac or vacuum with attachment to suck up the dirt and lint you loosened with the brush.  Pull the dryer from the wall and disconnect the exhaust duct tube from the wall and the dryer.  Use you vacuum to clean out both the dryer and wall parts of the duct.  Finally, use the vacuum to clean out the dryer exhaust tube.



Glass Bakeware

To clean baked in stains on glass bakeware, crumple up a ball of aluminum foil, add some dish soap, then scrub.



Grease Stains On Clothing

I love this tip because this happens to me so often from getting splattered by grease while cooking.  Rub plain white chalk over the grease stain.  The chalk should absorb the grease.  Then, wash as normal.



Grout Mildew

Use Cellucotton Cotton Coils from a beauty supply store and soak them in bleach. Lay them on the mildew and mold in your tub and let sit for a day.



Hair Brush

First, remove all the hair that is trapped in the brush.  Fill a bowl with hot water and add some drops of dish soap or shampoo, then start scrubbing.   Leave your brush in the sink or bowl for 10 minutes.  Take the brush out, rinse it off and dry it out on a clean towel.  



Keurig Coffee Maker

To clean out your Keurig (or similar coffee maker), fill the water reservoir about halfway with vinegar.  Run a cycle through without adding a filter or K-Cup.  Then, run two cycles of water through to get rid of the vinegar completely.



Lipstick Stains On Clothes

Spray the lipstick stain with hairspray and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Then, dab with a damp cloth and wash as normal.



Makeup Brushes

You can clean your makeup brushes with baby shampoo.  Once you've rinsed them well, hand them up to dry.



Mattress

Sprinkle baking soda all over your mattress and let that sit for about 30 minutes.  Then, just vacuum it up.



Microwave

Here's a super easy way to clean your microwave:  Heat a bowl of water and vinegar for 5 minutes in the microwave.  The steam will dissolve stuck on stains and make them easier to remove.



Mirrors & Glass

Make a mixture of 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 cups warm water and put into a spray bottle.  Spray onto the glass surface and wipe down with newspaper.  Better than Windex!



Moldy Water Bottles & Sippy Cups

I think every mom struggles with this problem.  Plastic water bottles and sippy cups are notorious for harboring mold and slime.  They're tough to clean, but here's an easy method:  Soak the bottle in warm water with a little bleach.  Let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub it inside and out with a dish brush or toothbrush.  Stick a q-tip into the mouthpiece and scrub there too.  Rinse the bottle well and put a Tbsp. of baking soda in the bottle.  Fill the bottle with hot water.  Let it sit overnight.  In the morning, rinse the bottle and wash as you normally would.



Oil Stains On Garage Floor

To get rid of oil stains on your garage floor, driveway or any other concrete surface, use cola.  Just pour a few cans of room temperature cola on the stain and let it sit overnight.  In the morning, blot it with some old towels and rinse off the remains.



Dirty Oven Racks

Ok, I've kind of went over this with the oven but to clean the racks, specifically, there is another really good method.  Place your oven racks in the bathtub and fill it with super hot water until the racks are submerged.  Add about 6 dryer sheets and a 1/2 cup of dish soap to the water.  Let this sit overnight.  In the morning, remove any remaining buildup with the dryer sheets.



Scuff Marks on Linoleum

To remove these marks, rub them with a plain old pencil eraser.



Shower Head

To clean your shower head, pour distilled white vinegar in a plastic bag and fit it over the shower head.  Secure this with a rubber band.  Let it soak for an hour, then remove the bag and wipe with a cloth or paper towel.



Sneakers

  
To clean Converse sneakers, or sneakers of the same style, apply toothpaste (not the gel kind) onto a plain steel wool pad.  Scrub the sides of the shoe, then rinse.  Scrub the sides of the shoe and then rinse again.




Stove Burners

Pour a thick coat of baking soda, followed by a Tbsp. of hydrogen peroxide onto each burner.  Wait for 15 minutes, then scrub away all the grime.



Toaster

Mix 1 Tbsp. cream of tartar with a few drops of water and rub it into the toaster.  Then, wipe it down with a damp paper towel.  



Wicker Baskets

Give your wicker baskets a rinse in the shower, or with a hose.  Set them out to dry in the sun.  You can also spray them with cooking spray to keep them looking shiny.



Whiten Yellowed Pillows

Before you do this, make sure that your pillow can be machine washed by checking the care instructions.  Remove any pillow case or pillow protector.  Fill your washing machine about 1/3 full with hot water.  Add 1 cup of laundry detergent, 1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent, 1 cup bleach and 1/2 cup borax, then start the machine and allow it to agitate for a few minutes.  Once the detergent is dissolved, add the pillows and then allow the washer to fill the rest of the way with hot water.  Run the pillows through the wash cycle and rinse cycle twice.



Yoga Mats

Fill a spray bottle with 3 parts water and 1 part distilled white vinegar.  Spray and wipe down the solution.



Hope you guys like these cleaning hacks.  Try them out for yourself and let me know in the comments how they worked for you.