Friday, January 11, 2013

Favourite Things Friday


Favourite Things Friday is back for 2013 and I'd love for you to link up and share one of your favourite things. 

I'd been wanting a grown up girl mixer forever but at upwards of $400 for something decent it just wasn't on the "must buy" agenda. However for Christmas Mr. P and I decided to treat ourselves. (I think this was more for me than him as he is yet to use it. I've been hogging it incessantly since it arrived home ) So after much research and phoning around playing retailers off against each other to get the best price, this gem has come to live at my house and after 25 years of using a hand mixer you better believe it's getting a workout. I think I've been using it every second day. I'm completely in love with this thing. Plus everyone knows that red makes things go faster and bake better.


I love that I can program it and walk away and that it beeps to let me know when to come back and give it some more loving. And that I don't have to hold it to mix stuff until I feel like my arm is going to fall off. I never really understood the idea of creaming butter and sugar properly until I didn't have to do anything but chuck butter and sugar in the bowl and walk away to make myself a cup of coffee. 

The very first thing I mixed up in it was a Tim Tam cake. You can get the recipe here if you're interested in making some awesomeness because lo and behold it turned out perfectly. I can only assume my mixer has been blessed with  magical powers because perfect rarely happens in this house when it comes to baking.


And then Little P helped me make cupcakes. And they were edible too! That's cake frosting on his forehead not some hideous Frankenstein scar. And that's icing on his upper lip- not a moustache. And that's his tongue poking out -not a hideous growth. 


By this stage I had a completely new outlook on baking . I truly think this mixer is magical. Everything I whip up in it seems to work out.


Rainbow cupcakes 


Fancy cupcakes 


Lemon Meringue icecream (that hole on the far side is because Miss P and Mr P couldn't wait for me to take a picture before they started eating it )


Cynthia's cinnamon coffee cake (which looked mildly leprous in the pan because I doubled the topping amount  but trust me - it tasted divine ) 


Mini cheesecakes 

If I don't start finding some savoury recipes that can be whipped up in this thing my arse is going to end up the size of Texas. 

So that's my favourite thing this week. An appliance. 20 years ago if you'd told me I'd be in love with a kitchen appliance I would have called you nuts.



33 comments:

Anne-Lise at Rag, Tag, Bobtail said...

This really made me smile - I am picking up my new mixer from the store tomorrow. Farewell handmixer that showered my kitchen with dough! And guess what - it looks just like yours!! I hope it makes delicious cakes like yours :-)

Canadian Abroad said...

I always knew I wanted a Kitchen Aid and made sure John was aware of the fact even before we got married. The wise man bought me one our second Christmas together. And I still adore it. I was the same as you about the sugar and butter - never knew what light and fluffy meant until I had my mixer and then I kind of stood there and went, 'Oh!'

Jennifer said...

Oh my! The only thing that would make your mixer go faster would be a couple of GT stripes. If you double your baking output it looks like you will have to triple your workout output, you know........

Katy Cameron said...

Heh, I love the Major, but I've not worked it out as much as you yet!

Mistea said...

Yum! Red and very helpful mixer.
At least you have some willing helpers to eat these amazing delights.
Enjoy mixing up those delights.

Sue SA said...

Yeah a red kitchen appliance! Hmmm cannot comment further, too busy drooling, off to make a Tim Tam cake...how did I ever exist without that recipe!
PS I did crush Tim Tams to make rum balls/truffles at Christmas, they were nice but not fantastic.

Quiltn Mama said...

I'm right there with you on the stand mixer..I got a red one Christmas 2011 and I love it, but girl you better check that 'anonymous' comment someone posted 'cause it looks kinda nasty.

Leanne said...

Good luck with the diet. Your new friend looks wonderful.

Lorraine said...

Nice! (the mixer and the goodies!) like the idea of lemon meringue ice cream!! I invested in a new mixer before Christmas...love it!! I am expecting a pretty amazing spread when we meet at your house next...and I am not referring to your rear!

Michelle Ridgway said...

OH Red definitely goes faster!! Wow what gorgeous treats you have or should I say the "magic mixer" has been creating. Love the taste testers face. You just have to have good 'quality control' don't you.
getting something from your "I'd love.." list is a great fav.
So glad FTF is back.

Sue SA said...

Shay I am IT incompetent, I did use the linky thing, but doesnt seem to have worked, so tried it again, then I could see my link twice, so I deleted the second one...I think! Sorry!

Jindi's Cottage said...

OMG that Tim Tam cake looks absolutely divine...have you now turned pro-baker, cake shop quality going on in your kitchen...yum!...

Elizabeth said...

That Little P gets cuter and cuter every day. You can send him any time that you want and we'll babysit him here. Grasshopper & LadyBug will be enchanted with his little accent.

Cool mixer! And all your goodies look equally amazing. I think my favorite was the rainbow cupcakes! How cool are those?

So glad you got something fun and that you love for Christmas.

xo -E

Sooli said...

Oh wow! Look at all the goodies you made! I remember baking, it was something I did occasionally when the kids were younger and before I found quilting! Now, cooking ... nah! No washing up with quilting. I'm always impressed when other people do it though and I love to help eat stuff if you need a hand!

Tazzie said...

Oh my goodness Shay, you're a baking queen! Martha Stewart better look out ... there's a new boulanger in town!!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Kate said...

Congrats on your magic mixer. For our second wedding anniversary, we splurged and bought the best we could afford. It's nice having a really good mixer. Not that I ever use it, My Guy keeps it pretty busy. I am not complaining!

TBL said...

WAIT. A TIM TAM CAKE?!?
I'm booking a trip to Australia RIGHT NOW.

Pokey said...

You have me wiping my mouth (droo-ol) and looking up recipes, oh, my!! I love that it is RED, too, lucky girl ~
:-}pokey

Maria said...

Love that new mixer of yours Shay! You have certainly been cokking up a storm there! I wrote about my favourite foods to snack on...

Dianne Neale said...

I'm worried now that you are leaving me so far behind in the baking race! As I've just bought a new computer, I'll just have to stand back and admire your mixer and your new found skills. Mind you the computer can probably bake better than I can.
Glad to see the FTF back again. I will join in later today

seabreezequilts said...

UUGGGh bloody blogger just deleted my comment. Here I go again. I was eyeing one of these off yesterday in Harvey Norman, if it wasn't for the fact that I had just bought a new dishwasher I might have been tempted. The cooking looks pretty good. Will have to think about what to do for FTF.

Noela said...

Love your new red mixer. Hugs...

Karen said...

It's glorious! Totally cuisine magazine quality goodies you have created :)

Anonymous said...

Hello Shay. I have just discovered your blog at 4am up here in Queensland. Why 4am? because it's so darn hot it's hard to get a good night's sleep. But I know you all understand what that means down in Adelaide with your own high temperatures.
I LOVE your new red kitchen wonder. It would be gorgeous just sitting on the kitchen bench even if it did nothing at all. But it does do something, looks like it does magic. I'm looking forward to reading your archives and following you in 2013.

Rachaeldaisy said...

Oh My Golly- That Tim Tam Cake!! Any machine that helps make that deserves a spotlight on Favourite Fridays.

Paulette said...

Love your shiny red mixer! I've got it's cousin over here at my place. Every once in awhile, I hoist it out of the lower cupboard and count it as my weightlifting for the day. ;)

That cake ought to be against the law, it looks so naughty good!

donna said...

Love your new mixer. Your cake looks so yummy. Oh boy that chocolatey face is sooo cute. I found your blog from Michelle Ridgway's blog. I am your newest follower.
Hugs
donna

thea said...

I love your mixer and that it is red! and the food you've made.... yummy! I'm going to have to make that tim tam cake .. I'll drag out my mixer for the occasion.

Thanks for bringing back FTF. I've missed it -- even if it's just for this one time.

Marti said...

Congratulations on your new mixer. You really have been cooking up a storm! That TimTam cake look heavenly. In fact, it all looks so yummy my sweet tooth is sending twinges to my tummy.

Sheila said...

Wow! I love your post today. Your red mixer is awesome! I want one.

Cindy said...

My mouth is watering so badly I have to go get a napking to clean my keyboard..........

Unknown said...

Oh My God! I just saw the return of FFF! I am so excited! Now if I can just remember to link up!

Thanks for sharing my coffee cake, I am so glad you made it and loved it. Double the toppings sounds good - I think it was the best part!

Lori said...

all your baking looks de-lish! the lemon meringue ice cream would be a complete hit in my house; do you have the recipe (or link to) for that? thanks for sharing!