Stand Mixer: 2 Hacks and a Snack

As a graduation gift from culinary school years ago, my mother was proud to gift me with a brand new Kenmore stand mixer. Since she has been using the stand mixer she received for her wedding, it was only fitting I finally had my own to work with. Mom shared my grandmother’s recipes, from her famous Monkey Bread to her world-renowned cornbread stuffing, her chiffon cake to her ultimate chocolate chip cookies. With all of these lovely recipes pouring in over the years, I found different hacks and tricks that helped me along in the baking process. Here are my top favorite hacks and tips plus my recipe for Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza with Cilantro Flatbread. Happy Eating!

Hack #1: Place a kitchen towel under your stand mixer so it slides easily. Stand mixers can be quite heavy and cumbersome. By placing the stand mixer on a towel on the kitchen counter, the mixer will slide effortlessly and prevent any scratches on the countertop. Plus when you are done using it, place the towel inside of the bowl of the stand mixer to prevent dust.

Hack #2: It’s not just for baking! I like the savory and the sweet side of cooking so when I discovered that I can make mashed potatoes in my stand mixer, well the rest was a creative testing to see what else I could whip up (pun intended!). My favorites include guacamole, shredded chicken and turkey (a must for chicken salads), scones, sausage, homemade pasta, and zoodles. Let’s see where your creativity shines! Post a picture of your most loved stand mixer creation onto Instagram and tag us @KenmoreAppliances.

Hack #3: Chill out. Shhhh this one’s the best. This is a must-try if you like to make whipped creams from scratch. Chill the stand mixer bowl and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 1 hour before making your whipped cream. Make sure the cream is very cold also. This little trick is what will keep your whipped cream extra fluffy and creamy. And try adding a dash of almond extract for extra zing!

Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza with Cilantro Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Cilantro Dough (recipe follows)
• ½ head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
• 1 cup Buffalo sauce, divided (use your favorite brand)
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup vegan ranch dressing
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves only

Directions:

Place dough on counter to bring it to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a medium size bowl, toss the cauliflower with the spices and ½ cup of the Buffalo sauce. Scatter onto the sheet tray lined with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Toss half way through. Remove and toss with remaining ½ cup of sauce. Lightly brush a baking sheet (round or rectangle) with olive oil and spread out the cilantro dough. Sprinkle the dough with 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. black pepper. Spread the baked cauliflower florets onto the dough and top with the sliced red onions. Bake for 15-22 minutes depending on your oven until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle with ranch dressing and cilantro leaves.

Cilantro Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package of dry yeast ( 7g )
• 1 cup of warm water (100*F)
• 2 cups of bread flour
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons of sugar

Directions:

Warm water to 110*F and pour it on your Kenmore Stand Mixer bowl, sprinkle your dry yeast and sugar and mix it. Let it rest for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.

With the hook attachment on, start your Kenmore stand mixer on slow speed and add olive oil, cilantro, and salt. Mix it for about 1 minute and then start adding the flour.

Once it is all combined let your mixer do all the work kneading this dough for about 10 minutes (you might need to add a little bit more flour, not too much). The dough will be elastic and a little sticky.

Grease a clean bowl with olive oil and then place dough in the bowl.

Cover your bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough and it is ready to be shaped.