Presents to myself

[ksmith]

While I was making the crust for the pumpkin pie day before yesterday, I learned the hard way that my little 4-cup food processor--a Kitchen Aid "Little Classic"--couldn't handle it. The chopper blade simply cut a channel through the bottom of the mess. No mixing at all. No formation of a ball of crust. I wound up having to dump the mess out on the counter, where luckily it came together as it was supposed to.

You know where this is going, right?

I checked out the equipment ratings over at Cooks Illustrated, and then hunted online. I would up getting CI's top pick, a KitchenAid 12-cup food processor that comes with a 4-cup attachment for smaller jobs. I still have all the parts for my little guy--I think I even have the manual--so I will donate it somewhere.

I used the stand mixer to make the pie filling. It was so nice to be able to hunt for ingredients while the mixer just did its thing. Can't wait to see how it handles cookie dough.

Yes, I am still contemplating making cookies even though I have pumpkin pie in the refrigerator.

Not sure if I should leave the house today seeing as it's Black Friday and all. I could go grocery shopping. I could just stay put and vacuum, do laundry, and write. It's frigid cold outside, mid-20s. Sunny, but that doesn't help a bit.

Blackhawks are playing Anaheim this afternoon. I will watch, but I doubt it will be fun. Unless they gel and soon, I think they'll be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Forget repeating. They're playing now the way they did back in '07-'08. Most of the pieces were there back then too, but they hadn't come together and inconsistency reigned supreme. They lost some valuable players thanks to the salary cap requirements, and the replacements aren't replacing. Maybe they're trying too hard. Maybe they're still in a late April we-won-the-Cup daze. Add to that the fact that other teams are laying for them because they are the champs, and you have a recipe for a struggle of a season.

Comments

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

My presents to self this year have been the pots and pans. I think I bored G- and S- last night--they'd asked to see the pots (G- seriously considering new pots and S- regretting the imminent demise of wedding-gift pots with non-stick lining), but I'm not sure they really wanted as much "But they're WONDERFUL" as they got.

Small appliances...I don't have a food processor (but then I did buy those new knives, another present to self.) So anything else is going to have to wait (and I will need to find storage for it!) My old Sunbeam mixer (now 40 years old, but not heavily used) did a fine job whipping up the cream. Have yearned for a KitchenAid for years, but they're just too tall to fit in the space the Sunbeam fits in. Not at all sure they'd fit on the counter under the cabinets, either. The Artisan might, but then you're talking about oil leaks. Don't want no steenkin' oil leaks.

I'd love to have one of those immersion mixer gadgets you can stick right in the pot to puree the squash (or whatever.) But not this year. (Well...not unless I give in and buy one--just one--better saucepan.)

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The Artisan supposedly degrades from lack of use, so if you think you would use it more than once a month, there may not be an issue. Or you could upgrade to one of the Pro-level models with the more powerful motor, which I don't believe experience that issue.

I plan on using mine more than once a month, so. We'll see how it goes.

My immersion blender only cost about $20, and it was the model voted tops over at Cooks Illustrated. They're relatively inexpensive.

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

I presented myself with a new Le Creuset 4.5 QT pan. I love it. I have smaller and larger ones but the larger one is just to heavy to pick up when it is full. I got it in cassis, purple is fun. I now have a festive multicolored collection.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of mixing colors. Kinda like Fiestaware.