Dear Betty Crocker

I love your boxed brownies and cakes. I always have a box in my cupboards "just in case." Tonight was one of those nights. With a craving for something light and fluffy, I went to my pantry and was delighted to see a box of Angel Food Cake Mix just waiting for me to whip up and bake. With a smile I set it on the counter imagining what it would soon taste like and quickly noticed the Box Top on the container. After looking a little closer, I noticed the Box Top expiration date was 2007. Knowing that Box Tops typically expire one to three years after buying an item, I found the cake mix's expiration date: November 2006. Did this deter me? No. I opened it up and smelled only Angel Food Cake goodness. I looked for bugs and saw none. I called my mom and sister who both agreed "what harm could it be to try... you really only add water" so I pressed onward. I mixed, poured, and licked the batter bowl. So far, so good. The next testament to your delightful desserts will be whether or not it rises and produces the same results six years after the expiration date. And for someone who has a problem with sweets, apparently just having a boxed mix of something delicious in the cupboards is enough to put me at ease and not feel the immediate need to bake it and eat it. It might also be time for me to go through my dry goods and check all the expiration dates.

Only 15 more minutes to go... the smell is already drifting through the house. =)