Apples and Buns

I love box mixes.  Especially ones that taste like I slaved for hours and hours in the kitchen, but in reality took about half a minute to mix together.

I had accumulated a few mixes and decided to make them all this weekend (don't worry, I had company over to eat them).  You've already heard about my awesome donuts.  I ordered two boxes of them online and decided this was the weekend to make one of them. 

The other two mixes I had never made before: Nana's Apple Cake Mix and Dove Cinnamon Roll Mix.

My friend Lisa bought me the cinnamon roll mix as a Christmas present along with two boxes of truffle fudge brownie mix.  Lisa is one of my favorite people in the world, not only because she buys me delicious treats that she knows I will love, but because she would never judge me for sitting down and eating the whole tray of cinnamon rolls all by myself.

It's a good thing I had friends to share them with, because otherwise that would be the tale I have to tell you.

They were that good.

They were also that good that they were being devoured so quickly that I had to grab one and put it in hiding for my husband who hadn't come home from work yet.

I do have to tell you that making these cinnamon rolls is not for wimps.  This was not your typical throw-some-water-in-with-the mix-and-it's-done situation.  But I loved it.  It made me feel like I was earning the credit I would receive later for how delicious they were.

And if only I had taken a picture when they were first out of the oven and not half demolished.  That would have been nice.  On the other hand, it is a testament to how scrumptious these cinnamon rolls were.

By the way, that's cream cheese frosting on there and I could eat it by the bowlful, shamelessly.

Now I'd like to introduce you to Nana's Apple Cake Mix.  This was one of those blink-and-you're-done-preparing-it mixes.  Three ingredients: chopped apples, water, and the mix.  I got a little fancy and drizzled caramel on top of my piece and then microwaved it a little.  

I'm wild, I know.

In closing, I think you should know I'm a big advocate of box mixes despite my love for making things from scratch.  After all, every girl needs a break every once in a while.