For my 26th birthday, a bunch of my friends pooled with money and got me a Kitchen Aid mixer. It was, by far, the very best birthday present I've ever received. Since the day it arrived, it hasn't left its spot in the corner of my kitchen. I use it frequently and am always amazed by how quickly and easily it makes work of meringues, muffin batter and cookie dough. I sometimes find myself seeking out new recipes that I know will require a mixer, just to get to use it. So imagine my delight when I discovered The Mixer Bible, by Meredith Deeds and Carly Snyder (they're the same ones who wrote 300 Sensational Soups). It's an entire cookbook devoted to recipes that utilize a stand mixer (however, many of the recipes CAN be made without one). One of the first things that leaped out at me about this book is that savory recipes get as much real estate as sweet ones. I was surprised by that because I tend to think of stand mixers as a tool most useful for desserts and breads. It's nice to be reminded of all the ways in which a mixer can be useful.
Some of the recipes in this book that I'm looking forward to making include the Butternut Squash Gratin (it uses the slicer/shredder attachment), the Kalamata Olive Rolls (dough hook) and the Cranberry Maple Squares (sounds like a great Thanksgiving treat).
