Investing in a Mixer: What are the Pros and Cons?

[Jennie4PC]

My MIL got us a food processor 3 yrs ago for Christmas and it has been used a total of 10 times. My DH makes salsa with it.

 

[cooking.with.ann]

we gave my mother a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas in 1980. At that time there was only one model and two color choices!The mixer has been used at least weekly (usually more than once a week) since then and it's still going strong.When my parents died we gave the mixer to their sitter who had been using it for the last 7 years to make cakes for my dad and the grandchildren. She's still using it in her home-based cake business and says it works like a charm!

 

[susanr613]

ann what a lovely history your mixer has acquired....that was very sweet of you to give it to your parents' caregiver.

 

[katie0128]

I have the white Artisan. I had been wanting one for a looooong time, but it was never in the budget. So my MIL got me one 2 years ago for Christmas... she sent my DH (her son) to Kohl's at 6:30a the day after Thanksgiving and got a really good price.
I usually use it on a weekly basis... enough that I'm thinking of getting an extra bowl, but I'm not sure where I would keep it! I love making fresh whipped cream and meringue pies and now I can do them soooo much easier. My old mixer was a hand held and so the first few weeks I had my Artisan I made so much whipped cream because I had so much fun turning it on and being able to walk away!!!

 

[pampermejolene]

You know, you can earn a Kitchen Aid with the level one thing. Of course, you probably want to earn a trip, but just thought I would throw it out there

 

[chefann]

I've got a cookie recipe from my grandmother that REQUIRES a stand mixer, because you have to let it whip for 30-40 minutes, minimum. LOVE my KitchenAid for that! Of course, I haven't made those cookies in years, since I threw out all my cookie sheets with sides after I got stoneware, and the sides are essential for stacking (they have to sit overnight on the cookie sheets before being baked). But with the new sheet pans, I'll be able to make them again. My MIL gave me my KA as a shower gift. It's the 4.5 qt. basic model. But I love that it can cream butter that's not completely softened with sugar without walking across the counter.

 

[KateD]

Sweet Potato Souffle??? Sounds wonderful......would you be willing to share the recipe???

Here's the basic recipe I use:

• 3 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients together; mix well. Pour into greased baking dish. Cover with topping.

TOPPING:

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/3 c. plain flour
• 1/3 stick butter
• 1 c. nuts

Mix well and sprinkle over souffle. Bake for about half an hour at about 350 degrees.

(That's a little more topping than I use - I usually triple the sweet potatoes and just double the topping and there is still extra.)

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I just got my KA last night at Sam's! It's a Mother's Day present so I don't get it until next Sunday. It's at least here & sitting on the floor looking at me. I really think it's pleading with me to take it out of the box & use it.

I'm intrigued by the butter making. What exactly do I do?

 

[pampermejolene]

I've got a cookie recipe from my grandmother that REQUIRES a stand mixer, because you have to let it whip for 30-40 minutes, minimum. LOVE my KitchenAid for that! Of course, I haven't made those cookies in years, since I threw out all my cookie sheets with sides after I got stoneware, and the sides are essential for stacking (they have to sit overnight on the cookie sheets before being baked). But with the new sheet pans, I'll be able to make them again.

My MIL gave me my KA as a shower gift. It's the 4.5 qt. basic model. But I love that it can cream butter that's not completely softened with sugar without walking across the counter.

And I thought some of the recipes I made were time and labor intensive!
beating for 30-40 minutes, sitting overnight... those better be some darn good cookies Ann!

Also, I have never had to get on my counters and walk across them when creaming butter and sugar. Does that help speed the process along?

 

[chefann]

<giggle> I meant that the mixer is heavy enough to stay still when creaming butter and sugar. Some lightweight mixers will actually walk across the counter when doing that.

 

[jbarnhill]

Kohl's has a mixer on sale in today's ad that you can mail a thing in for a free grinder or slicer/shredder attachment plus they are doing the $10 kohl's cash for every $50 in purchases.

JoLynn

 

[Chef Endora]

I have a KA stand mixer. I like it, but wish I would have gotten a stand mixer
such a Sunbeam where the bowl revolves and you can scrape down the sides
without shutting it off. My Mom had one like that.

 

[MissChef]

Love, love, love my KitchenAid Mixer!!! What makes my KitchenAid products even more special to me is that PC gave them to me for earning different incentives!!! I have a KA Blender too, earned from PC too!!! PC has given me so many cool things!! :love:

 

[susan g]

I have a KA stand mixer. I like it, but wish I would have gotten a stand mixer
such a Sunbeam where the bowl revolves and you can scrape down the sides
without shutting it off. My Mom had one like that.

It's funny because the stationary bowl is my favorite feature of my KA mixer. I love being able to walk away while the mixer is on without the bowl ending up in the floor! I almost never make anything but cakes and icing in it and usually I don't even need to scrape down the sides.

 

[susanr613]

I found a couple great websites for recipes and supplies:
http://forum.kitchenaid.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=33
This recipe forum is sponsored by KitchenAid

King Arthur Flour :: Home Page
King Arthur Flour has a great reputation for quality...and they have some yummy-looking recipes too!

My KA is supposed to show up tomorrow....guess what I'll be doing? LOL

 

[laylaleigh]

I am getting mine on Sunday!! I can't wait. I will look up some of those recipes. Thanks!

 

[laylaleigh]

I forgot to mention that Lowe's is having a sale on all their small appliances 20% off. The Artisan is priced at $299 with an additional 20% off. Also if you have a coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond theirs are also $299 with 20% off and online they had several free gifts listed.

 

[cookingwithhart]

I got my red Prof. Kitchen Aide a couple years ago...it led to a remodeling of the kitchen and me selling Pampered Chef...had to pay for the remodel! I started spending so much time in the kitchen I couldn't stand the 1980's kitchen anymore! I make homemade noodles, so I love the pasta attachment.

 

[susanr613]

LOL 'Hart! I fantasize about moving to a larger house so I can store all my PC stuff and have a bigger kitchen....perhaps one day I'll be like you and make enough with PC to do that.

 

[rennea]

I got my red Prof. Kitchen Aide a couple years ago...it led to a remodeling of the kitchen and me selling Pampered Chef...had to pay for the remodel! I started spending so much time in the kitchen I couldn't stand the 1980's kitchen anymore! I make homemade noodles, so I love the pasta attachment.

Priceless!! Turned out to be a pretty pricey Kitchen Aide

 

[susanr613]

I used my new mixer today! It's amazing how much better choc chip cookies taste when they are made from scratch

Needless to say, I baked them on the Large Bar Pan and both Metal pans - no burnt offerings!

 

[cookingwithhart]

LOL 'Hart! I fantasize about moving to a larger house so I can store all my PC stuff and have a bigger kitchen....perhaps one day I'll be like you and make enough with PC to do that.

We have a bedroom off the kitchen that I turned into my pantry after the kitchen remodel. I have shelves full of PC and I'm needing another shelf!!! Of all our projects, the pantry is my favorite! I'm lucky, my husband likes to cook too!
I used my mixer last night to make a batch of cookies for my daughter's wedding. I made 10 dozen cookies last night and none that I baked on my stone or PC metal sheet pan burned, but one of the batches I cooked on a non-PC pan did!

 

[susanr613]

OK, so I've made some cookies, bread....and then failed to make merengue cookies.

I used room temp "all whites", cream of tartar, and splenda. I never got beyond very very soft peaks.

Help!