Kitchenaid mixers, etc.

[gottahaveahoove]

During this "stay home" mandate, I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen.
I've even been ASKED to make things to enjoy.
So, I have bananas ripening, soon to become banana nut bread. I make multiple zucchini breads too.And, I always have a few sodabreads on hand, family recipe directly from County Mayo, Ireland. You never know when you might hear the doorbell.I'll soon make my late grandfather's sugar (cutout) cookies, potato chip cookies, perhaps, even those Italian pepper cookies. I learned to make them years ago in the rectory.
There's nothing like the smell of nice freshly baked family treasures filling the house.
So, all of the appliance are coming out and getting a nice workout.
Anyone else in a "culinary" mood?

 

[suckolux]

I had done some , but with everyone staying home it just didn't get delivered or eaten! Some to close by friends, about it. Now it seems summer thinks it's here, so that slows it up quiet a bit for me

 

[justjunque]

Hi John,

Well, I've been home for three weeks now, but it has nothing to do with the virus.
I have a recurring health issue that has really taken hold this time, and doesn't want to let go.
I'm currently on medical leave.
But, the other day, when symptoms weren't too severe, I took to the kitchen.
Granted, on a much smaller scale than your endeavors!
When I acquired my chrome Sunbeam Mixmaster, what seems like ages ago, I vowed to make my first cake. I've participated in the making of cakes before, but never 100% on my own.
That has finally changed!
Okay...so it's not from scratch. It's a Duncan Hines Classic Yellow cake mix, and Betty Crocker milk chocolate frosting.
In the "from scratch" department, I did make my mom's recipe for the fluffy white filling in between the layers. So, the cake mix and one half of the filling got prepared in the Mixmaster.
It's not going to win any beauty contests, but it's tasty!
There's only me and wifey here to eat the whole thing. But, somehow, I think we'll manage!

Barry

 

[gottahaveahoove]

hm GOT MILK???

Not being pushy, but, if you'd like, I can give you a recipe for a nice scratch cake. It was one of my late grandfather's recipes. You could make cupcakes, too. and freeze some.

You can use that nice Mixmaster.

 

[justjunque]

Sure!

I'd take a look at the recipe. It's nice too, knowing that it's a recipe that's been handed down through generations.
I'm not saying how long it might take me to get up the nerve to attempt it!

Barry

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Barry,

some "kitchen creations" can be VERY involved, time consuming, and messy.
Some, painless. I can email you the cake. OR.. if anyone else (in here) wants a nice cake recipe........................................ pre-heat the oven, and let's go.
Cookies? peanut butter, potato chip, cutout, Italian todals (anise)pepper? (Italian). I've seen Irish pepper cookies mentioned someplace. They'd be interesting, as, in all my family's experience (grandfather was a baker/chef), sister is a gourmet cook, we've never heard of Irish pepper cookies. (Ireland isn't that big
Anyone getting hungry yet?

 

[suckolux]

John, probably good that we don't live close by, imagine the waist line!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Yes. But.......

imagine the fun, too. We'd have to do a lot of walking.

 

[suckolux]

No question there! I try to cover several miles a day,3-6 probably

 

[kirbyklekter]

A while back

I switched to baking cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets. I like it. No sticking cookies, no greasy oily cookie sheets to clean up, and I can reuse them 2 or 3 more times. I have a recipe for "Pineapple-carrot cake with pineapple cream cheese frosting" that I changed up a little and people can't get enough of it.I process the carrots through my Champion Juicer with the screen removed so the carrots come out looking the same as if you grated them by hand, but they are three times juicier. That is what makes this carrot cake the moistest you will ever enjoy. Now my stomach is growling!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

You have us all hungry now!

I, too, LOVE parchment paper. I make lots of cookies. You're absolutely right: no sticking, etc.......
I learned this from Martha Stewart.
No dry cookies here. Ever.
Perhaps some people bake them too long, too hot, etc. They're certainly doing something wrong. Perhaps they're just not 'cut out' to cut out cookies.

My late grandfather taught us wonderful things. Then, Martha took over.
I did learn a few great baking things from Peggy, the housekeeper at the "rectory", years ago.

 

[suckolux]

I use parchment and Silpats both really work well with cookies. I have my aunt's old carrot cake recipe, a favorite. Pineapple also, but not in the frosting.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I have several silpats, too.

I cut out cookies on a big 'rolpat' too..... wonderful things.
At the last literacy agency where I worked, "carrot cake" as very popular. Sadly, it seemed to always signify someone's "last day" there.
When I'd go in, and see "the cake", I thought, hmmmm who's leaving?
This week, I'll be back in the kitchen, or, as some call it, the "laboratory" lolol

 

[suckolux]

Mine is typically done in a simple Bundt form,baked evenly,transports well. Normally here it's requested for a birthday party. Good thing,my hands decorating is not my forte!

 

[beagledad]

I used the meat grinder on my Kitchenaid Artisan today to grind up some veal for a veal, mushroom, and bacon meatloaf. It's a versatile piece of equipment. I have a Mixmaster Power Plus that belonged to my grandmother. I'm convinced it makes better mashed potatoes than the Kitchenaid. The girlfriend says it is in my head...

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Actually, The SUNBEAM

IS BETTER at mashed potatoes. The 2 beaters seem to do much better than the "paddle".

 

[fan-of-fans]

I like the look of KitchenAid mixers, but I don't own one.

I have a 70s Mixmaster, not the fancy chrome metal base model, just the lowly harvest gold. But I love it. It makes everything nice and airy. The round and square beaters and the bowl turning button are great. I have not tried the dough hooks. When I was feeling energetic I used it a lot for pancakes and waffle batters. A while ago I did brownies in it, but I haven't felt much like baking or cooking from scratch lately for some reason...

I've never done mashed potatoes with it though. I did help do some in one of the modern model Mixmasters, and even for a newer one I was pretty impressed with the job it did.

 

[suckolux]

Just my opinion here of course, I have a couple of vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster,a couple of KitchenAid stand mixers and a Bosch, I think that they each have their good points and better uses. I do feel that the Mixmaster combines more air, more fluffy with light mixes. KitchenAid better multitasker, Bosch I mostly use for heavy doughs. Again, just my opinion!

 

[justjunque]

Hey Cole,

Nothing at all wrong with the harvest gold. Mine is the "fancy" chrome version, but I love how they look in those designer colors too!
I'd probably have one in each color if I had room! But, since I could only have one, I went with the chrome, since that's what I grew up with.
Mine, and Mom's, which inspired mine, pre-date the dough hooks. We just have the "bowl fit" beaters, which I think are ingenious!
Even though I've owned it for a while now, I just got around to making my first cake in it last week.
I haven't used mine to whip potatoes yet either, but I can tell you...we had plenty of them, made in Mom's Mixmaster when I was growing up, and they always came out great!
Glad you have and enjoy your "lowly" gold Mixmaster! Get some taters in there one of these days! You'll love it!

Barry