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Posts tagged as “product review”

KitchenAid stand mixer attachments: The good, bad and ugly

KitchenAid stand mixer attachments: The good, bad and ugly

This is not a sponsored post or endorsement made in coordination with the brands or products mentioned here. 

Remember my story about how I used to religiously watch the FoodTV Network as a kid? (and still love to...)

Growing up, the KitchenAid (KA) stand mixer was one of those kitchen "toys" that the chefs always had on the FoodTV Network (aka the Food Network, as we all know it.)

One year for Christmas, I think I may have been 8 or 9 years old, my grandparents, together with my mom, decided to buy me a stand mixer as a Christmas/birthday present. My mom said she picked it up from Macy's, which I'm sure was at the height of the Christmas shopping rush, and lugged it through the store to her car.

I don't remember how I reacted to receiving the mixer for the holiday that year but to this day, it was probably one of the best gifts I've ever received.

Since we have Dave's KA mixer, mine is still at my mom's house, but it has served me well over the last two decades. It feels so strange to say that it has been "two decades" of using that machine. I couldn't tell you how many things I've made in it or hours I've put on it and it still runs great (knock wood.)

On the flip-side, I think some of the attachments for the KA mixer are gimmicky. Based on my experiences, here is a quick run-down of the good, bad, and ugly of the KA mixer attachments to watch out for if you are doing any holiday shopping for yourself or friends and family members that love cooking.

Product Review: Califia Farms Toasted Coconut Milk

Product Review: Califia Farms Toasted Coconut MilkBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)
Disclaimer: This is an honest review and not a sponsored post by Califia Farms brand for any blog website or service.  For me, coconut isn't just one of those summer-only flavors or scents. It's a year-round favorite of mine—even in the middle of January. Nope, there aren't too many coconutty things that I won't try. And for as crazy as I am about the stuff, I know two people on opposite ends of the coconut spectrum: one who flat-out can't stand it and one who's allergic to it. (Dave, fortunately, isn't either of those individuals.) I love the fact that there seem to be way more varieties of nut milk blends in the grocery store than there were in the past. Fortunately, almond-coconut milk is one of them. I think it has a much better flavor than its plain soy-, almond-, or coconut-only counterparts.

Product Review: So Delicious CocoWhip!™ Whipped Topping

Product Review: So Delicious CocoWhip!™ Whipped ToppingBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)
Disclaimer: This is an honest review and not a sponsored post by So Delicious brand for any blog website or service.   I never ate a lot of whipped topping growing up, or even in recent years as an adult. I've used it a handful of times for desserts where convenience has been key and the extra stabilizers (or, as some people just put it, "chemicals") help whatever I'm making hold up to being stored in the fridge for a day or two, usually when I'm making a dessert in advance for a party. My family always gravitated towards the stuff in an aerosol can or opted to make "real" whipped cream, though, especially when it came to enjoying it with Thanksgiving pies and other special occasion desserts. When we did buy whipped topping, it was a treat that sometimes ended with me just eating the stuff right from the plastic tub, sometimes half-frozen (come on... you know you've done this at least once.) Dave and I both like trying new things and have also been trying to balance how much dairy and sweets we eat for health reasons. We burnt ourselves out on Greek yogurt for a while (shocking, I know) and went back to both regular yogurt as well as some non-dairy options, just for some variety. When we went to the store a few months ago, we both had a craving for pudding and decided that, as a treat, we needed a little whipped cream to go with it. We saw and picked up a tub of So Delicious brand CocoWhip!™ Whipped Topping to give it a try.