I was so excited when the mister got me the Professional KitchenAid for Valentine's Day...what a guy! I could not wait to get home and use it...the mixer, that is!
During it's maiden voyage, I was surprised at how loud my new KitchenAid was...much louder than my old one. I called my friends who have the same mixer and asked them if theirs was loud and they assured me it was normal. But as I continued to use my KitchenAid it just got louder and louder - almost to the point that I felt I needed to use earplugs! My new Professional KitchenAid could drown out a Boeing 747 while it whipped up a triple batch of sugar cookies...and as impressive as that may sound...it was more than a bit annoying. After five months of use, it developed a rattle that went along with the noise...think Jimmy Hendrix meets a Blender on high speed...or Hendrix, high on speed, puts his guitar in a blender...that's what it sounded like!
I called Macy's, where I purchased it, and they said, "Bring it back!" (Got to love Macy's!) So I toted my mixer through the parking lot, past the cosmetic counters, up the escalator and into the housewares department...by the time I got there I could no longer feel my left arm and was certain it was missing! Anyway, Macy's refunded me the $$$ and I purchased another KitchenAid mixer...but this time I bought the BASIC mixer...not the Professional.
Here's why: The Professional mixer does not have a head that can be lifted so you have to lower and lift the bowl, even to scrape down the sides...annoying! Also, putting the bowl onto the mixer is not a snap and go deal...it has to be in just the right spot - which requires bending around to make sure it's in the right spot...and the Professional mixer cannot whip two egg whites...or a half cup of cream or any small amount of anything as the beater does not go all the way to the bottom!
There she is...my new mixer...a thing of beauty...the head goes back, the bowl is a cinch to put on and she purrs like a kitten...no need to wear earplugs! She's not as big, but then, I have come to this conclusion:
When it comes to KitchenAids...bigger is not better.
Here's my pic of the day/month/year...because you will never see anything like this from me again:
160 Cake Pops!! You might remember when I first made Cake Pops, for Max's Mickey Mouse birthday party...where I swore I would never make them again, (and actually swore the entire time I DID make them)...but my friend wanted them for her son's wedding...and a friend in need...with chocolate...is a friend indeed! So I had the opportunity to help Lori and her Cake Pops turned out great...she made Carrot Cake Pops with Coconut sprinkled on top and Spice Cake Pops, dipped in white chocolate with Cinnamon Sugar on top...and my favorites...Chocolate Mint Cake Pops with crushed Mint candies on top! We still had trouble with the cake part being too mushy (I still think it's best not to use all of the frosting Bakerella suggests, cutting back by 1/4 cup would be my recommendation, for those of you foolish enough to want to make these!)...and make sure your pops are REALLY cold or else you'll lose a few in the chocolate! Eventually we got a "system" going and in less than two hours we got them done! And the were beautiful and everyone who ate one at the reception LIKED them...go figure!
I will go on record now and say that is definitely the LAST time I will make Cake Pops...this year.