"KitchenaidMixer" news and stories

Several years ago, a collection of my good friends pooled their money and bought me a a six-quart Kitchen Aid mixer for my birthday. It has not left my counter since the day I unpacked it from the box and it is one of my best kitchen helpers. The only problem I ever had with it is, when mixing batters and doughs, I have to stop the machine frequently, in order to duck in with a rubber spatula and scrap down the sides of the bowl. I am sure that many of you have experienced this same problem

However, I recently discovered a new tool that eliminates the need for those bowl-scraping pauses. Called the BeaterBlade+, this paddle attachment comes fitted with flexible fins that wipe the sides of the bowl as it turns around the bowl, constantly redirecting any errant batter back into the fold. It cuts your mixing time down considerably and helps you avoid over-beating your batter or dough, something that is far more likely if you're repeatedly starting and stopping.

So far, I give this item a big thumbs up. It doesn't seem to cause my mixer any added stress and it makes mixing and clean-up easier than ever before.

Source

I am a big fan of sausage, especially the kind you buy in bulk (as opposed to the stuff that comes in casing). I use it as the protein/flavor base for egg scrambles, pasta sauces and stews. However, despite my love for ground, highly seasoned meats, I've never actually tried to make it on my own (I like to leave tasks like that to the professionals).

On Monday, Culinate posted a piece by Matthew Amster-Burton that's got me thinking that maybe I should change my ways and start experimenting with homemade sausage. I like the idea of avoiding all the perservatives that you find in commercial sausages and Matthew makes it sound so darn easy. He says you don't need many tools (I would have to buy the meat grinding attachment for my KitchenAid mixer) and that there are recipes to turn to until you feel confident enough to create your own flavor blends.

I think I might need a bit more encouragement before I become a home sausage maker. Is this something that others of you have done? Any tips or tricks?

Source