Baking doesn’t have to be a thing of the past. Kitchen mixers have replaced those beaters of yesteryear that you liked to play with on grandma’s floor. They made cool toys but left your wrists tired after a couple of minutes of swift cranking. These days, our busy schedules limit our time in the kitchen, so why not make the most of it by investing in a new kitchen tool.
With all the kneading and beating and mixing that used to go on in the kitchen it’s no wonder the women of the house used to be required to have strong hands. Well, not anymore. But it seems a reasonable trade off. Not being able to crack a walnut with my fist doesn’t bother me a whole lot. Not being able to find time to bake like grandma, however, does.
You could ease into the world of mixers, but I say go for the big guns first. Just by design, you’ll find them easier to use. Kitchen Aid types are big and bulky, meant to be stored on the a counter, not hidden in a cupboard you have to dig through on hands and knees every time you want to use it. Remember: out of sight, out of mind.
If you’ve got the space, go ahead and keep your mixer central to your kitchen. If not, a nice corner on the counter will do. This frees up regularly used counter space, while keeping your mixer nearby. Though these types of mixers can be a bit heavy, I do recommend placing an inexpensive cutting board underneath. This allows for easy mobility across your counters without having to lift the machine. When you’re done, just slide it back into place. Simple and quick.
Buy a box of cake mix and a kitchen mixer and you’re halfway there. But, cakes aren’t all you can make. Why not try a full meal? Among various attachments large mixers usually include a dough hook for kneading, a paddle for mixing and a whisk for whipping. Between these three you’ve got meatloaf, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and dessert wrapped up. Add a vegetable and dinner is served. And post meal clean up is a cinch.
Holiday cookies are no longer a headache when you realize that you can make several different batches with a mixer in the same amount of time it would take to make just one by hand. You can spend one afternoon making all your goodies for the season. Store in the freezer and you’re ready to go to that next holiday party with a tray of homemade goodness without all the hassle.
Cookie Tip: Due to a mixer’s speed make sure cookie dough doesn’t get over-mixed. The key is in the blending of the butter and sugar. This is where lumpy is good. Well-blending can cause cookies to lose their density and smooth out and flatten when they get baked.
Kitchen mixers aren’t cheap and they can be heavy and bulky. But with a home on the counter to keep it handy and in sight you will be using it far more often and it will be well worth the expense. You’ll be making treats just like grandma used to make, only without all the fuss.
Choosing the best kitchen mixer for your needs can be a tough job, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are stuck for what to purchase, you really can’t go wrong with a Kitchenaid stand mixer.