If Therese's favorite appliance is her kitchen scale, mine is definitely my stand mixer. I use it most often for making pizza, but the homemade bread, pastries, turn-overs, and Chinese dumplings have let me make home-made convenience foods for less money and better nutrition than store-bought products. Icing and whipped cream stay much fluffier; meringues are a snap. The construction is solid and powerful.
The attachments connect right into the mixer proper, so you don't end up with a series of stand-alones. Options include a pasta roller/cutter, ice-cream maker, food mill, and more.
The biggest down-side to a stand mixer is the cost. I was lucky; the department store my wedding china came from offered a 5% gift card of the total registry purchases, so I paid less than $20 for Max the Mixer. But between Black Friday sales, Craigslist, and manufacturer rebates you might be able to score a deal.
Happy mixing!
A good appliance is like a faithful friend -- always there when you need them to mix things up! I have to agree, I do love my stand mixer for the very same reasons. So convenient.
ReplyDeleteI can't use it for everything, but I love being able to multi task while my kitchen-aid is mixing cookie dough or kneading bread. Lucy - what attachments would you especially recommend?
ReplyDeleteMM- I got the pasta set for Christmas- roller, fettuccine cutter, and spaghetti cutter, as well as an extra bowl. I haven't used any of them yet.
ReplyDeleteMy MIL became a stand mixer fan after seeing mine on a visit. She uses the small bowl to whip cream for desserts. She also likes the food mill.
I adore my stand mixer. I used it last year to make a wonderful King Cake - and I always thought I was incapable of baking from scratch!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest downside for me is the real estate it takes up. I can't keep mine on the counter since I need the space, so I don't use it as often as I would like.