Kitchenaid mixer

[OakLeaf]

LOL... hey why go to the gym to do military presses when I've got a stand mixer?

[violette]

Well, I broke down and got one on Monday. Already made a big batch of cookies and last night, made some bread. It's awesome. I just sat back and watched my Mighty machine do all the work. It's the Accolade 400. I don't know how I managed without it. It was $529 on sale for $300. I just couldnt' resist. Thanks for the feedback.

[lo123]

Ooh! Enjoy your new toy.

all this talk of how you store your kitchen aid makes me want this:
http://www.amazon.com/Chrome-Heavy-D.../dp/B001B0QFOI

Alas, I have no suitable counter to install one. Maybe in my next house!
For now, I store mine under my 'baking counter' (I claimed a portion of the kitchen for all my baking stuff), but I have a bowl lift mixer so it's too tall to fit under the cabinets .

[malkin]

Congrats on the new mixer. Kitchen Aid has a web site where you can meet lots of folks who name their mixers.

I was holding out for a red one, but found a deal on a 'grab bag' take-what you-get color. Mine is monstrous and gray, named Polyphemus after the Cyclops in the Odyssey.

I'd probably kill myself trying to get it down from the top of the fridge. There's also lots of other (light weight) stuff up there.

[NoNo]

I was holding out for a red one, but found a deal on a 'grab bag' take-what you-get color. Mine is monstrous and gray, named Polyphemus after the Cyclops in the Odyssey.

That's hysterical! I never named mine, I've never been good with that stuff. I took your red mixer; if you'd like to name, it go ahead.

I have exactly no counters in my kitchen, but thankfully, I have a large pantry that my mixer resides in. It even has outlets, so sometimes I leave the mixer there, but if I'm making pasta I take it out and put it on the kitchen table.

You can see it way in the back, behind the red food processor (guess what my favorite color is?)

[shootingstar]

I no longer bake much at all. But have my 35 yr. old electric handheld beater which continues serves us well when my arm gets tired of beating eggs, etc. I suppose a Kitchenaid mixer would help for arduous dumpfnudel (German plain pastry, like Chinese bao) dough kneading but I know dearie prefers the old fashioned kneading..

Have been tempted over the last few decades to have an all-purpose type of mixing appliance but lack of counter/storage space always stop me dead. We already use top of our fridge for storing some pots and pans. Besides we wouldn't use it often.

I even forget to use our hand wirewhips. It's chopsticks instead.

[Miranda]

I love my Kitchenaid stand mixer too. The thing is bomb-proof. I sought after it when I was taking cake decorating classes put on by Wilton. The stuff we made in there for frosting just blew up my regular hand-held.

[papaver]

Well, I broke down and got one on Monday. Already made a big batch of cookies and last night, made some bread. It's awesome. I just sat back and watched my Mighty machine do all the work. It's the Accolade 400. I don't know how I managed without it. It was $529 on sale for $300. I just couldnt' resist. Thanks for the feedback.

Have fun with it!

[Aggie_Ama]

I have the Artisan in Black, a present for my birthday a few years back. I LOVE it! I still haven't gotten the attachments but I love that when I make a cake I can leave it mixing while I prep the pan, etc....

[7rider]

I don't bake much, but I do make a ton of cookies and fruitcake (don't laugh - people love to get my fruitcake!).

That's what they tell you!

I also got one in '03 when we got married. It lives in a pull-out shelf on the bottom of the pantry -- along with the bread making machine.
They both come out rarely. I suppose they'd come out more if I actually did some baking!!
Oh..and I bought this slicer-dicer attachment for it...because I HAD to have it. I took it out of the box...washed each piece...and put them back in the box. I've yet to use it. Ever. Hard to justify pulling it out to slice, oh...one zucchini or something for just the 2 of us.

[violette]

I made bread and it was fine. How long do you kneed the dough in the mixer. I did it for 5 min, but someone said you have to cut it by half and the bread had a really yeasty taste to it. Don't know why???

[OakLeaf]

Yeasty taste can be from
-sweetening with honey or other high-fructose sweetener
-too much sweetener in the batter
-proofing or raising too long for the ambient temperature
-not enough salt

Personally I like the chewy texture that comes from long (hand) kneading, but it's all a matter of preference. The more you bake, the more you'll figure out what you like.

[NoNo]

Used my mixer to make cookies and pasta dough for ravioli this weekend. Both came out deee-licious!

[tulip]

I don't think I would ever shell out the cash to get one, but if someone were to give one to me, for my birthday, say...well then I'm sure I would use it regularly! And I have plenty of storage space in my new kitchen.

Just sayin'.