I think I have admitted this before (just can’t remember which post) but I have had a KitchenAid mixer sitting in a box, unused, for several years. Ahhh, it’s been almost 8 years.
All I needed was a little nudge. Well, a nudge and free counter space!
A friend came over a few weeks ago and we made some cheddar cheese. This was the first time she had been to my house and during one of the waiting periods during the cheese making we were walking around the house and she spotted the KitchenAid box. We hauled if downstairs and took the mixer out of the box and set out to made some bread.
We made a basic white bread just to get me started. I have posted here about the no-knead bread that I made, but this process is completely different. When I make the no-knead bread I use one bowl for each loaf of bread. When we used the KitchenAid I used a pan to heat the milk mixture and another bowl for proofing the yeast.
When I make no-knead bread I mix it up in the evening and bake it the next day when ever I have time (or remember). With the KitchenAid I have bread in a few hours. So there are definitely advantages and disadvantages to each method. More pans and less time using the mixer. More time and less dirty dishes with the no-knead process.
The texture of the bread was also completely different. The no-knead bread is much more dense and heavy (I use either a white/wheat or white/spelt mixture) where the KitchenAid bread I made up was all white flour and the loaves were lighter and more airy. I don’t ever use only white flour in our bread. Typically the flour mixture I use is 3/4 wheat or spelt to 1/4 white. The bread texture is also more soft and airy because of the way I baked it – in pans. When baking the no-knead bread I use a pre-heated crock and the oven is at 500F. When I have baked the no-knead bread in pans it also turns out lighter and less dense.
This white bread was a huge hit with everyone at the dinner table that night. I made it into herbed-garlic toast to go with spaghetti. With 3 very hungry guys, we went through both loaves.
You can also read my posts about making pizza and pizza crusts with my no-knead bread.
One thing I will like about the mixer is whipping up some dough for pizza crusts the same day I decide I want to make pizza. With the no-knead dough I always have to be thinking a day ahead of time.
Sincerely, Emily
Sincerely, Emily 
I don’t think a few days goes by in my house without using my KitchenAid. I actually contemplated buying a second one when they were greatly discounted just to have a backup once this one keels over. I haven’t bought any of the attachments (even though I desperately want a meat grinder) for fear that I’d bring its death that much sooner!
WOW – you are getting a lot of use out of yours. I just don’t make a lot of things that require a mixer. Maybe now that it is on the counter I will be inspired! I think the meat grinder would be a great attachment and I would actually use it.
Emily,
Hello, I found your blog after reading a comment you made to a post I did. Thanks for the comment.
I’m a ” Blog Junkie” and read a lot of Homesteading/farm/gardening Blog’s and I just added yours to my Blog list! Will be going back to the first post and read from there.
The “KitchenAid Mixer” is a wonderful addition to any kitchen. I use it to mix Bread dough, Mash potato’s ECT. I have the meat grinder attachment too! So ground Beef, Chicken and Pork are made all the time. I will soon be using for ground Rabbit too.
Come see my Blog when you get the chance and lets get to know each other!
Tom
Tom thanks for stopping by. Your name is familiar to me but I can’t place your blog and your comment didn’t link to it. When you stop back by, be sure to leave a link to your blog.
Oh – mashed potatoes – that would be a great way to use the mixer when mixed up a huge batch.
I use my KitchenAid hard during the height of canning season (it’s got food strainer, sauce maker, juicer attachments) and during hunting/butchering season (meat grinder, sausage stuffer attachments). The rest of the time it resides in my cupboard. Most other mixer jobs in our house don’t require anything larger than a hand mixer. KitchenAid attachments are expensive at retail but I’ve bought mine off e-bay for what I consider reasonable to cheap.
On the no-knead bread front, I’ve got a Zojirushi bread maker that mostly sits in the cupboard because the no-knead bread method works so much better for us on so many levels. I mix enough whole wheat dough to last us 2 weeks and it makes everything from bread loaves and rolls to pizza dough to sticky buns and more.
Hi Rebecca – I didn’t know about the attachments for food straining, etc. I have another manual food strainer, but have yet to use it. Hoping for a better crop this spring if Mother Nature cooperates and sends us rain. I have to agree with you on the no-knead bread. I think I will stick to that method – bread, rolls, pizza dough.
Can’t imagine letting a Kitchen Aid sit in a box for 8 years! Wowza! I use mine all the time, mostly for bread, but I’d love to buy the pasta and meat grinding attachment so I can start making my own pasta and sausages. Mmm. Your bread looks delish!
Guilty! After hearing a few comments on the meat grinder, I think I would get into using that!
Well as you know, there is no love lost with my Kitchenaid. But I can NOT believe you could keep a new toy in your house for 8 years without trying it out! I am like a kid at Christmas with anything new. What other treasures do you have stashed away?
Jane, I thought of you when I was using the mixer and when I wrote the post, thankful that it even worked! Other treasures you ask – I am not sure I have anything else stashed away unused. Although I may have forgotten. I am in the process of unpacking some boxes that haven’t been looking into since we moved to Palm Springs (14 years ago) so I am bound to find some treasures there.
Emily, I love my Kitchenaid. I use it for Christmas cookies. Especially the dense nut based ones. That heavy duty motor and large bowl, awesome.
I got a pasta attachment with mine. Nothing like freshly made pasta.
Annie
Emily,
I’m Link challanged. But here is the Blog Address:
worms-a-crawlingfarm.blogspot.com
Come by anytime!
Thanks Tom – you are so funny. I will stop by and visit your worms, your cat, your dog, oh and you too!
Emily,
Again, Welcome to my Blog! Looking forward to reading yours!
Do not know how funny I am, but I try.
The Worms, Dog, Cat and I can hardly wait for you next post!
TOM
I love all kinds of bread, actually I don’t think I have had one that I did not like, lol.
Ya, I don’t think I have met a bread that I didn’t like like either.
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