It's a Love Story

I realize many of you may think it is over-the-top to blog about my KitchenAid, and I'm not going to deny that I considered myself a little nutty to be doing it, but here's the thing... I LOVE my KitchenAid stand mixer.  It was my first year anniversary present from my husband, and it's pretty much the only one I remember.

Those of you who own a KitchenAid stand mixer know where I come from.  Those of you who don't... well, all I can say is that I'm sorry, and maybe you should be nicer in the future so Santa will bring you one of these instead of a lump of cold black coal.

So, what prompted me to want to blog about my KitchenAid?  Well, I got it a new friend last week.  Ever since I saw the KitchenAid 90th anniversary limited-edition 5-quart stand mixer in gorgeous candy apple red sitting on the William-Sonoma showroom floor, I've wanted the glass bowl that was accompanying it.

I'm not kidding when I say I heard angels sing.  Say I'm not the only one.

I was crushed when the evil lady at William-Sonoma told me it only comes with the KitchenAid 90th anniversary limited-edition 5-quart stand mixer in gorgeous candy apple red.  Crushed!  So, I have patiently waited and waited and waited and when I saw one box, containing one 5-quart KitchenAid mixing bowl sitting on the floor by the KitchenAid display in Tri-State I swooped it up, not even caring that it wasn't on sale.

My mom told me I should wait until Christmas. I told her she was crazy and that I'd already have all my cooking done before Christmas so what's the point in that?

I've written a song for my wonderful cooking companion, sung to the tune of "Love Story" by Taylor Swift.

We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes

And the flashback starts

I'm standing there

In my apron pouring flour everywhere.

I see your beater

See it spinning madly

Whipping up the the batter, man it sure is handy

And I'm hands-free, little did I know

That you would change the way I bake cakes and peach pies

Frosting, mashed potatoes, how it makes me cry

And now my life is so much easier

I'll love to till the day I die, and I say

KitchenAid it's sure been a great ten years

Your whirling motor has been like music to my ears

You knead the bread dough, while I go to recess

It's a love story, baby let's make a mess

Remember your blessings!

Amber

Lefse 2010

Last weekend was our annual lefse-making get-together at my grandma's house on Moses Lake.  This is our fourth year of the tradition, and we made more than we ever have before; 214!!!  Wow!

The day begins early for lefse-making.

Mom and Grandma Ora peeled the potatoes the day before then early Saturday morning Josi and I boiled, drained and mashed them. Then we put them on the table outside so they could cool.

We had a new trainee this year.  This is my niece.  She was in charge of quality control. She did a fabulous job! Every lefse she tried passed the rigorous taste test.

Grandma Ora was a flipper, as was Grandma Nona.

Normally Grandma Nona is a mixer/roller, but she spent Friday night in the hospital getting antibiotics so she wasn't allowed to do any of the harder stuff.  It killed her having to sit and watch us do it, but I think we did her proud.

The Grandmas did a great job flipping.

After our lunch break my sister took a little cat nap.  Totally understandable since she was up late in the hospital with Grandma and got up early to go stay with her as well.

Once again, CJ took on the roll of a flipper.  He would flip 10 lefses then take a short break. Way to pace yourself kid!

Lefse is a very serious business!

Everyone did their part to get the job done.  Well, almost everyone.  =o)

Lefse is also a messy business!  This was my work station.  I was the mixer and one of the rollers this year. My shoulders are still sore.

Here are a few of the bowls that held mashed potatoes and lefse dough. Every bowl that was big enough to hold a good amount of potatoes was used.

This was one of the flipping workstations. Flour covers every surface in the kitchen by the time we are done. Clean-up is so much fun!  Or not.

I didn't get a shot of all the lefse this year, but if you want to see one check out last year's post here.

Now I'm off to enjoy a piece of lefse wrapped around a yummy layer of raspberry jam.  Mmmmmmm mmm!  Or should I say uff-da!