Excited for your new Kitchenaid Mixer? Discover its endless possibilities!

[kcjodih]

for Christmas. Now what?

I always thought these were 'neat' and would be fun to have instead of my old Black and Decker hand mixer. I saw a commercial and said to my DH 'oh that red one would look GREAT in our kitchen with the yellow walls and black granite!' Voila, my Christmas present! I just got it last night because only the silver was available so he ordered the red and bought the silver so I'd have something to unwrap under the tree.

So we got home late last night from the in-laws (where the new one arrived) and I just got home from work and I'm too exhausted to take it out of the box tonight. I do wonder though....what am I to do with this? Am I going to be amazed? Or is it just a fancy replacement for my hand mixer when I make cookies or cakes and a REALLY pretty counter ornament?

I don't want to ask my husband because I don't want him to think I'm ungrateful, I'm not! I think it's supercool, just not sure how I'll use it in everyday life.

 

[slhalepc]

I finally got one this year too. I never thought I would own one because of price but qvc made it possible with special value of the day and 6 easy payments.:thumbup: Anyway.... I have used mine for everything, cakes, whipped potatoes, even brownie on the stir setting so you don't over mix. I look for somthing everyday use it for. I love that I can turn it on and mix and have a free
hand(s) to mesure and add to the bowl or do something else.
Next to my pampered chef, my kitchen aid mixer is my favorite kitchen tool, and it is pretty. My kids think I like it more than them

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I love mine! I use it all the time. One hint I have is don't bother with the splash guards. Just take a clean kitchen towel and drape it over the top around the bowl. It works great! Enjoy!!

 

[kcjodih]

Aww thanks for sharing! It WOULD be nice to have free hands while the mxier is going..

 

[kcjodih]

Do you do that much baking Rhonda? I really, really want to use this on a regular basis.
Thanks for the splash guard tip!

 

[wadesgirl]

My gma gave me one for our wedding 5 years ago and DH says I never use it. I really don't because I usually just mix stuff by hand! But I have used it to make bread dough, pizza crust, cookies, complicated mixing stuff, homemade whipping cream. We even have the ice cream attachment to it but have only used it once.

 

[minirottie]

I debated and debated for years literally and got one a few months ago through a Kohl's deal and a KA rebate. I make my cookie dough in it, and I've started to make home made bread. If I were doing real whipped cream, I'd use it versus doing in a stainless bowl with a whisk. I am one of those types that tends to do more by hand, but I admit the times I've used my mixer, I LOVE it.I find that it's super handy when I use it, so I'm glad I have it..do I use it a lot? No, but it does look pretty on my counter (I have the red one too). But when I need it and have it-LOVE it. Do you bake much? If not, try doing your own bread and you may find you use it a bit more

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

let's just say... I'm jealous! I'm now going to the QVC website to see how much damage I could do to my budget. I was drooling over them at Christmas and told my partner, "DON'T YOU DARE spend that kind of money!" lol But breaking it up in payments .... a different story.

 

[kristina16marie]

I got mine for Christmas last year & just used it tonight to make pizza dough! We love it!

 

[Nanisu]

Ok so get the juicer attachment for the front, you will use it all the time. It's not just for baking any more!

 

[minirottie]

let's just say... I'm jealous! I'm now going to the QVC website to see how much damage I could do to my budget. I was drooling over them at Christmas and told my partner, "DON'T YOU DARE spend that kind of money!" lol But breaking it up in payments .... a different story.

ROFL!!!!! Easier to spend the money that way isn't it???

 

[NooraK]

I picked up a Cook's Illustrated Holiday Baking magazine before Christmas. Pretty much all of their recipes call to mix in a stand mixer. I found it quite handy to let it do the mixing while I was gathering the ingredients for the next step (or running to keep one of the kids from spilling the flour).

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

If you ever watch America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Country on PBS, they use the KA mixer on almost every episode. I have the smaller (and less powerful) model that I inherited from my mother, but since I seldom bake, I don't use it much. My cardiologist chewed my out today for my sodium intake, so I really do need to do more healthy cooking and bake more - I'll be in your boat soon enough, wishing I had one!

 

[chefa]

Jodi,
You will LOVE your KitchenAid mixer! I've had one since the late 70s & it still runs beautifully, but I wanted the larger, more powerful one so I could double cookie dough batches, so Christmas before last, DH got me the lovely red one. I don't use it daily and tend to use it more during holidays and when I bake, but it sure does come in handy to mash taters or whip fresh whipped cream for strawberry shortcakes. My background is Moravian and I make Kolaches throughout the year and I use my KA mixer to do the first mixing of the dough. Love that dough hook. It works perfectly for that and my dough is never tough. DH asked me what I was going to do with the old mixer and I said keep it! Silly man.

 

[gailz2]

There must have been a big advertising scheme this year because I also had to have one. I researched and checked prices for awhile. I got the best deal at Bed Bath and Beyond, using their 20% off coupon (then my hubby had to wrap it for me). Their original price was $299--Kohl's price for the exact same item is $399--I get so mad when Kohl's does that and the innocent people who don't know it is $100 more than elsewhere pay it. Anyway, since I got mine for Christmas, I've used it only a couple of times--works wonders beating up mashed potatoes, and I made the Christmas Stocking from the front cover of our cookbook (?Festive Holidays), mixing the instant pudding in it and folded in the cool whip. I'm hoping to start making bread after our move at the end of the month, and routinely make cookies for the grandsons, this will be so nice to not have to stir it by hand. Now I want to sew a quilted cover for it. Enjoy!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Jodi,
You will LOVE your KitchenAid mixer! I've had one since the late 70s & it still runs beautifully, but I wanted the larger, more powerful one so I could double cookie dough batches, so Christmas before last, DH got me the lovely red one. I don't use it daily and tend to use it more during holidays and when I bake, but it sure does come in handy to mash taters or whip fresh whipped cream for strawberry shortcakes. My background is Moravian and I make Kolaches throughout the year and I use my KA mixer to do the first mixing of the dough. Love that dough hook. It works perfectly for that and my dough is never tough. DH asked me what I was going to do with the old mixer and I said keep it! Silly man.

I've stopped talking about Kolaches around here because no one knows what they are. The last really good ones I had came from an eastern European bakery in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and I won't tell you how many years ago that was.

And you bake your own? I'm jealous! (And drooling, just thinking about them!)

 

[babywings76]

My mom got me mine about 10 years ago for Christmas and I love it! I do admit that I don't use it as often as others, but I use it when I do any baking that's not a PC recipe (because most of ours just need hand mixing.) It's great for bread and pizza dough, too. But any recipe I can do in my mixer, I will, just so I don't have to get out a hand mixer (hate those!) It's really nice to let it do all the work.

 

[NooraK]

If you ever watch America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Country on PBS, they use the KA mixer on almost every episode.

I never get around to watching the show, that's why I get Cook's Illustrated. I get all the information and directions, at my leisure

I get so mad when Kohl's does that and the innocent people who don't know it is $100 more than elsewhere pay it.

OT, but I've figured this is pretty much Kohl's business strategy. They inflate their "regular" prices, so that they can constantly have sales where it appears you're saving a huge percentage. You can get good deals, you just have to know what is a good price and what isn't.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I'm on my second one in 24 years
get the extra bowl and the scraper beaterI use it to make my cheeseballs, potatoes, batters, doughs almost every day I use it and I live alone

 

[annew]

I <3 mine & use it all of the time. I'm always baking something for someone it's like we tell our customers w/stoneware.....keep it in sight & you'll use it more! Forget hand mixing you'll save time w/the KA!

Good luck!

 

[lt1jane]

I've stopped talking about Kolaches around here because no one knows what they are. The last really good ones I had came from an eastern European bakery in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and I won't tell you how many years ago that was.

And you bake your own? I'm jealous! (And drooling, just thinking about them!)

You need to travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the Kolache Festival. It's sometime in the summer in the heart of Czech Village in Cedar Rapids. I moved away in 1988, but the Czech community is very strong there. The national Czech museum is there. My brother's employer was involved in the building task of raising the museum one story so that if Cedar Rapids ever has a flood as bad as the one in 2008 again, the museum will be higher and it won't be underground again.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

They won't let me into Cedar Rapids anymore because last time I was there, I bounced a Czech.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I've had mine 15 years. I use it for cookies, browies, cakes, frosting (2nd bowl comes in handy if you put the cake batter bowl in the dishwasher and avoid handwashing like I do), bread/dough with the hook. I got the pasta attachment and have made delicious pasta. That said, I think I blew an internal fuse 1.5 years ago and haven't gotten it fixed. I used to keep it on the counter but found I wasn't using it enough to warrant taking up the space. When we moved, I found a cupboard for it.

My immersion blender is another great love of mine. The regular blender died a year ago and hasn't been replaced. Can you tell I procrastinate? I even got the 8 qt. stockpot just for my immersion blender to make soup.

 

[evk1972]

They won't let me into Cedar Rapids anymore because last time I was there, I bounced a Czech.

LMAO!!!

 

[wadesgirl]

OT, but I've figured this is pretty much Kohl's business strategy. They inflate their "regular" prices, so that they can constantly have sales where it appears you're saving a huge percentage. You can get good deals, you just have to know what is a good price and what isn't.

My friend was hanging out with another friend while they changed the prices at Kohl's once and their "sale" price was more expensive than the price that was just up on the rack!

 

[kam]

Oh! I am NOT a baker at all - but I LOVE my Kitchen Aid mixer.

I don't use it weekly, but we entertain quite a bit and it really helps with dips, mixes, etc. Especially anything with Cream Cheese.

We don't make cookies too often, but on the years that I make batches of Christmas cookies, I don't know what I would do without a Kitchen Aid.

The best part of it is that you can walk away from it and get your additional ingredients.

It is not any more to clean then if I used a hand mixer. You would still have one bowl and a beater. So I will even do things that I could hand mix.

I have extra bowls so one can be in the dishwasher.

DH and I purchased this as a wedding gift for ourselves 16 years ago - and we still LOVE it!

 

[ShellBeach]

We got one this Christmas. First we got what was supposed to be a shiny chrome one, turns out it was just gray paint. Yuk. Traded it for a white one. It's OK. We have made lots of cookies with it, and hubby used it to make some cheese souffles.One thing that bugs me about it is, the difficulty of adding ingredients. My mom had a Sunbeam with an off-center bowl position & 2 beaters, which made adding ingredients very convenient. With the Kitchenaid, I have had to take the bowl completely out of the stand to add some ingredients. That big central beater is in the way.But hands down, Kitchenaid has add-ons that the other brands do not.
Hmm, I was looking at the ice cream & pasta attachments. Any reviews on those from other cheffers?

 

[ShellBeach]

My friend was hanging out with another friend while they changed the prices at Kohl's once and their "sale" price was more expensive than the price that was just up on the rack!

My cousin was spending so much money there, I tried to tell him! He bought some Corelle dishes "on sale" at Kohl's that were more expensive than K-Mart's everyday price.

 

[minirottie]

You need to travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the Kolache Festival. It's sometime in the summer in the heart of Czech Village in Cedar Rapids. I moved away in 1988, but the Czech community is very strong there. The national Czech museum is there. My brother's employer was involved in the building task of raising the museum one story so that if Cedar Rapids ever has a flood as bad as the one in 2008 again, the museum will be higher and it won't be underground again.

I used to live pretty close the Czech village! Actually would drive through it often to get into downtown. Didn't know they raised the museum. We left before those floods, but had some while we were there in 2004.

And KG-That was tooooooooooooooooo funny!

 

[lt1jane]

I used to live pretty close the Czech village! Actually would drive through it often to get into downtown. Didn't know they raised the museum. We left before those floods, but had some while we were there in 2004.

And KG-That was tooooooooooooooooo funny!

Yes, KG I laughed at that one.

I used to live on A Avenue a few blocks from Kingston and Veteran's Stadiums. I'm a Cedar Rapids LaSalle graduate. LaSalle and Regis High schools closed after the 1998 school year when they opened Xavier and the two schools are now middle schools.

here's a link on the museum move http://www.ncsml.org/News/20110709/119/Operation-Elevation-in-Progress.aspx

 

[chefa]

KG - get enough pivo in any Czech and they'll bounce all night!

 

[mentul77]

I just happened to come across this thread while doing an unrelated search tonight but have a KA tip for all of you new (and maybe not so new) KA owners. Have you ever wanted chicken that was shredded, I mean super shredded, and don't have time for the crockpot to do it for you? Cook your chicken breasts in the deep covered baker in the microwave (or however else you want to cook them) and then put them in the KA! Make sure you have the head locked down and just turn it on to about 2 or 3 depending on the power of your mixer but you will have perfectly shredded chicken in seconds. It is shredded so well that it is fit for any recipe that calls for the canned stuff and tastes much better!

 

[NooraK]

I just happened to come across this thread while doing an unrelated search tonight but have a KA tip for all of you new (and maybe not so new) KA owners. Have you ever wanted chicken that was shredded, I mean super shredded, and don't have time for the crockpot to do it for you? Cook your chicken breasts in the deep covered baker in the microwave (or however else you want to cook them) and then put them in the KA! Make sure you have the head locked down and just turn it on to about 2 or 3 depending on the power of your mixer but you will have perfectly shredded chicken in seconds. It is shredded so well that it is fit for any recipe that calls for the canned stuff and tastes much better!

I saw this on Pinterest, tried it and it works!!! It is SO COOL!!! I also did it with a pork tenderloin, cut into 3 pieces, to make pulled pork. Worked perfectly!I have the bowl-lift version with a 475w motor (Costco), so I turn mine between 4 & 6. And use the paddle blade.

 

[chefliz]

They won't let me into Cedar Rapids anymore because last time I was there, I bounced a Czech.

LMBO! Too funny!

 

[gailz2]

I just happened to come across this thread while doing an unrelated search tonight but have a KA tip for all of you new (and maybe not so new) KA owners. Have you ever wanted chicken that was shredded, I mean super shredded, and don't have time for the crockpot to do it for you? Cook your chicken breasts in the deep covered baker in the microwave (or however else you want to cook them) and then put them in the KA! Make sure you have the head locked down and just turn it on to about 2 or 3 depending on the power of your mixer but you will have perfectly shredded chicken in seconds. It is shredded so well that it is fit for any recipe that calls for the canned stuff and tastes much better!

Wonderful--can't wait to try this with chicken and pork!

 

[Curlyone]

I love mine! I make my own icing and this machine is the only one I would use. Mashed potatoes are amazing too. I also put a damp kitchen towel around the top, but I still use the guards too. If the towel were to slip, you could have a mess on your hands very quickly. I use a damp towel to cut down on the powdered sugar cloud escaping out the top!I have a friend who also keeps hers on her kitchen counter and when it is not in use, she puts a small potted plant in it. She said she likes to put it to use, even when it is not in use. LOLEnjoy your mixer!