As a note, I was sent both the Bosch Universal And the NutriMill Artiste YEARS ago — but have faithfully used both of them (including when they updated the Artiste a year or so ago) to see which I liked both. Honestly, I love both of them, but I do have a favorite.

Cliff Notes: In case you’re just wanting the high points, the Artiste is a bit less, and if you have low needs I think it’s a great one for you! If you plan to mix a lot especially whole wheat, I think the Bosch Universal is worth it — but we’re going to dive into more on why:

Build

A lot of people don’t know this, but the Bosch and NutriMill are both made by the same parent company. Bosch is owned by NutriMill in the US and they manufacture and sell both mixers.

Price

Let’s get this one right out of the way. At the time of this publishing the Bosch Universal WHITE mixer is $499 (the Stainless Steel is $579) and the Artiste is $299 — so, almost $200 less.

If you have a tight budget, and going up to the Universal I do think it’s totally valid to go for the lower price with the Artiste!

I should say I once saw the Bosch at Costco — but I didn’t have enough money to buy it at the time and haven’t seen it since then<< and that post has some pretty great deals on it as well.

However, all of that is based on their usual pricing — if price is your main concern — I may have a good deal on the Bosch going right now:

Space

Not all of us have giant kitchens — and space was DEFINITELY an issue with me when I bought my first mixer and lived in a VERY tiny house in California.

Honestly, the footprint of the two of them is VERY similar, but Bosch has that extra motor area that you can use for a blender or food processor. So it adds a bit of space on the side. Their front to back footprint is very similar.

The NutriMill puts their motor stuff UNDER The bowl, so it’s a little bit higher as a result.

• Bosch Universal: 15.5″w x 11.5″d x 10.75″h
• NutriMill Artiste 10.5″w x 11.25″d X 12.125″h

If side-to-side space on your counter is a deal breaker, the winner is the Artiste on this one (but not by much).

From personal experience, I think the NutriMill is easier to move around my kitchen — but their weight is very similar between the two.

Abilities

I want to be VERY honest, that when I try to make 4 of my sandwich bread, the NutriMill conks-out midway. But I gotta say that bread is a LOT of dough, and uses 100% whole wheat. My Kitchenaid died just a few minutes into the knead, but the NutriMill makes it just about to the end. I end-up needed to hand-knead it a couple of minutes.

Looking for more info as to how a Kitchenaid compares to these? Check out my post that compares Bosch, Kitchenaid & The Artiste.

The Bosch Universal does just fine with that large amount of Whole Wheat Flour — which is what it’s known for. It’s just a workhorse of a mixer, and if you plan to mix large quantities of whole wheat flour, it’s the one for you!

Add-On’s

The cool thing anymore is all the add-ons that both mixers offer.

The Bosch can use any of the add-ons for the NutriMill Mixer — because it’s bowl base is exactly the same.

However, the Artiste may not be able to use all the ones that the Bosch uses as it doesn’t have that separate motor part on the side (that does things like their blender, food processor, etc).

If you’d really like to try all the gadgets and gizmos that they have — you probably want to opt for the Universal. If you don’t care much about those, get the Artiste.

BTW, my favorite add-on is the Ice Cream Maker. It does such a great job, and we love to use it!

I should note that if you want to use things like the Baker’s Pack — you can do that with either mixer as their bowl attachments are the same — which is very cool!

Anything Else?

The Artiste comes with a sliding window vs a removable top — honestly, never sure which one I like better. Both can be entirely removed if you want to dump in flour or whatnot.

As I’m looking at the specs on the bottom of the comparison chart (scroll down on this page) they seem VERY similar. But, I know that they’re different — even with that 500 W motor, I still have more luck with the Bosch Universal.

However, I have given my kids the Artiste — just easier to use in their early phases of life, etc.

I did also see that the Universal comes with a 3-year Warranty, and the Artiste comes with a 1-year warranty, so that can be something to consider as well. I will say that both have been great for us, and I think you’d find an issue early on if there was one — so that isn’t too much of a concern for me.

Even though my Artiste has stopped with my heavy recipes, once it’s cooled off it’s always come back on fine (and doesn’t smell like it’s burning up). I’m sure it just stops to protect it’s motor.

So, that’s my thoughts on the Artiste vs the Bosch Universal Mixer. As a note, I have the Stainless Steel bowl. It does look nice, but I’m not so much into the looks of things. I prefer to use my white bowl, but that’s me. I know the Stainless Steel is VERY popular, and if it “goes” with your kitchen better I can totally see getting that one.

Have other questions between the two? I’d love to answer! Ask me in the comments!

The post NutriMill Vs Bosch Mixers: Which is for you? appeared first on Pulling Curls.

To me, it shows my family I love them enough to make something they ALL appreciate.  The fall is a great time to make a few loaves while the kids are at school to have with soup for dinner.  The more I’ve made bread, the easier it gets. Here are a few of my tips for better bread making:

Be sure to check out my first breadmaking post << that one has my full recipe and my basic tips!

Tips For Making Better Bread

1.  Grab your ingredients while it’s mixing.  My recipe calls for mixing the flour, yeast, gluten and water together for a few minutes before I add the other stuff.  To save time, and also make sure I don’t forget something I put them all next to me on the counter so I can add them when it’s time (I am the queen of forgetting to add an ingredient while I’m talking on the phone).

**Btw, don’t miss my comparison Bosch Universal Vs Kitchenaid Vs Nutrimill Artiste post.

2.  To make quick loaves I roll the top into the bottom to make a smooth top. I know a lot of people roll it out and then roll it up cinnamon-roll style but this is much easier and it works just fine.

3.  Smooth down the tops of the loaves so you’re not left with REALLY tall bread in the middle, and really tiny bread on the side.  Leads to less fighting over the deliciousness you made.  Also, if you’re making sandwiches, it’s hard to have a REALLY tall area — they don’t always fit into sandwich bags for school lunch. Don’t worry, the bumps from my knuckles bakes out.

4.  Use a plastic knife and slide it between the bread and the edge of the pan to loosen it all before turning it out.  You don’t want to lose any chunks of bread by it sticking to the sides of the pain (breaks in the crust will also make your bread dry out faster). I just have some baby knives that we used when my kids were little (although, why kids need knives I’ll never know).

5.  I make 4 loaves at a time.  I keep one out, and freeze the others.  I don’t slice it until we eat it.  I think that helps it stay more fresh.

And… {drumroll please} the delicious finished product.  You can se the loaf I didn’t flatten in the background mounding up.  It’s not a catstrophic failure, but this way cooks more evenly and makes better sandwiches.

Grab my favorite bread recipe here, and I’ll send you some more of my favorite baking tips too!

The post Bread Hacks: Tips for better bread making appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I worked in a bakery for a few years in college.  We used out stand mixers for EVERYTHING.  The professional bakers that I worked under just knew that they make the best-baked goods, the absolute easiest.

BUT, I think a lot of people use their stand mixers, but don’t use them to their fullest.  Today I want to share 5 tips to help to make your cookies easier & tastier, by using your stand mixer!

Tips to make the best cookies with your stand mixer

Tip #1 (and honestly, I think this one uses your stand mixer to its FULLEST

Cream your butter and sugar well with your stand mixer

I have always been a little over-afraid of over-mixing my cookies.  And, you should be — but NOT until you add your flour.

I will soften my butter (usually 12 seconds on high for a full stick in my microwave, yours might be different –) I often use butter AND Crisco (half and half, or sometimes based on however much Crisco I have — I like to buy it in the sticks because I HATE measuring it), because I think I like that better.  But whatever works for you.

Then, I throw that in the mixer and let that run for about 30 seconds until the butter is all softened.  Then, I add the sugar and I mix all that together while I gather my other ingredients.

Have you seen butter turn white when you mix it long enough?  That’s what you’re looking for, and this step is REALLY important and a really important way to use your mixer.  Otherwise, you’d have your hand mixer going back and forth.  I sure don’t miss those days!

I used to use a Kitchenaid Mixer, but I have switched to a Bosch Lately.  I always thought the Bosch wouldn’t do cookies well — but I was so wrong.  It’s weird way of mixing adds air and lightness you won’t get with the Kitchenaid.  Be sure to check out my post about Bosch Vs Kitchenaid to learn more about the differences between the two.  I also have tips specific to the Bosch Universal Mixer.

BTW, I love this brown sugar saver that I mentioned in the video.

BTW, if the Bosch is a bit out of your price range — have you seen it’s little sister the Artiste?  Motor isn’t quite as strong, doesn’t have the dual drive-shaft, but still a GREAT mixer, and I LOVE the cover.  PLUS all parts are interchangeable in the bowl area (paddles, scrapers, lids, etc):

Tip #2 (this one will save you time!)

Use a scraper with your stand mixer

On my Bosch, I have their scraper attachment (you can also get it on Amazon here).  I heard this thing is a bit newer and I can’t TELL you how much I love it.  I never have to get a spatula in there to scrap down the Bosch.  It’s GREAT (if you bought my Bosch Package it almost always comes with the scraper attachment because it’s a favorite of mine).

On the Kitchenaid, I use the sideswipe blade, but I sometimes wish I had another one that was easier to clean.  The sideswipe is great for more liquid-y things, like cake batter.  Less so for cookies (but great to lick after).  Again, make sure that you get the right size for your size of mixer.  There’s no shame in stopping your mixer every now and then to scrape.  Oh wait, I guess there is.

Tip #3 (this is a truth no matter how you’re making them.

Half milk chocolate, half semi-sweet chips for the BEST cookies!

I don’t know why but this is SO much better than either on their own, it has nothing to do with stand mixers, just a truth I know.  KNOW.

Tip #4 — this one’s for the moms out there!

Stand mixers make it easier to have kids help

It’s easier for you to have kids help when you have a stand mixer.  You can be measuring stuff out (a great way to do fractions) while the butter and sugar are creaming (see #1).

NOTE — it is SUPER important to review what a machine your stand mixer is.  My kids know they are not to get anywhere NEAR the mixer when it’s running (that’s easier with the Bosch vs the Kitchenaid because the Bosch has a lid the covers the whole bowl)! The end. {see my post on broken bones}

Tip #5 — Cookies are just like you!

Don’t Overcrowd your cookies

Just like a house, cookies need room to grow.  I was the worst at cramming a million cookies on a sheet, but then they’d take forever to bake and they’d turn into Siamese twins.  Anyway, on my big cookie sheets (which are actually jelly roll pans — I think they’re more versatile) I go 5×3  (so, 15 cookies) now.

I also use this cookie scoop — makes it SUPER easy!

Bonus Tip #6 JUST for Bosch Owners

Bosch Cookie Paddles Keep Breaking

The cookie paddles on the Bosch Mixer are totally weak point.

They break. {crying}

SO, the tip I have is to cream and mix in your eggs with the cookie paddles.

If you plan to add many chunky items then switch to the kneading hook.

For me, as I know the kneading hook is a HUGE PAIN.  I will add chocolate chips and pulse a few times, but I don’t recommend full mixing once you have chunks in.

If I’m adding oats, I always change to the kneading hook.  It’s a pain, but less of a pain than picking bits of broken paddles out of your dough

This just in Bosch/Nutrimill have produced some new CURVED Cookie Paddles that will help incorporate ingredients better. Keep an eye out for them!

The Truth of Homemade Cookies for an After-School Snack

Kids love cookies, and they know you love them when you bake them.  I know this sounds lame, but my kids are extra happy when I have homemade chocolate chip cookies available after school.  Sometimes I add beans, I sometimes cook them with fresh-ground whole wheat, and I often try new recipes, but I REALLY try to bake a HUGE batch (I’m talking 6 dozen or more) every couple of weeks.  I’m not a single batch girl.  I have a REALLY hard time with the 3-5 pm time period so it’s extra nice to start out on a good foot.

Because happy kids are a happy family.  What is better than having warm cookies waiting on the wire racks, ready to eat?

Oh, and I really like cookies too.

My Favorite Cookie Recipes

Chocolate chip — I love these, the cornstarch makes for a crispy edge, and the inside is insanely soft!

BUT, I’d love to know YOUR favorite recipe — tell me in the comments!  I cookie recipe shop pretty frequently.

Be sure to grab my weekly meal planner, and check out my other food posts below that:

The post The Best Cookies: Expert tips to using your stand mixer to make cookies! appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I came up with a recipe binder.  Rocket science, right?  Here are a few things that I found that helped in my binder organization.

How can you have an Organized Recipe Binder?

The best binder.

My favorite organizing guru (don’t worry I have a post to come about my favorite Youtube organizing channels) Alejandra Costello has long recommended the Staples Better Binders.  We had a “basic” binder — but the edges were coming apart.  My recipe binder is well used, and well loved!  The better binder is reinforced with rubber’ish type material on the corners.  I can tell it will last for a while of love.  It has good pockets on the front and backs and the rings are well made and open easily, I really like them!  I got the two inch binder.  I felt like the 3 inch would be too hard to use, and if I had that many recipes, it was time to pare down.

Dividers

For a long time I just had those sad little paper dividers and there just weren’t enough of them.  If you look closely in this shot, you’ll see that I have larger plastic tabs, and then the smaller old school dividers underneath.  That way I was able to separate out different types of main dishes, etc.  I would just say to do these according to how your family eats.  Here’s how mine works:

Appetizers/sides

Dressings

Main Dishes

Casseroles

Chicken

Salads

Fish

Soup

Crock Pot

Desserts

Cookies

Breakfast

Breakfast Bread

Basic Bred

Other Bread

Recipes will go behind the large plastic tab (general ones) and then others go behind the paper tabs.  It just helps me keep it extra organized and easier to find things.  I do have a LOT of recipes.  I enjoy cooking.

Those plastic dividers have pockets, which makes it easy to stash recipes until I’m un-lazy enough to punch holes in them.  I only put recipes that we REALLY like in the binder, and I really need to be better about punching holes in it – -but it is what it is.

I also have a pocket at the back that holds a few instruction booklets for small appliances I use often and need the instructions (like my pressure cooker).

I have a folder of recipes that I’ve torn out of magazines, and ones that I’m wanting to try soon go in the front pocket of the binder.

Again, ONLY ones that we really liked go in it. We have enough GOOD recipes, that we don’t need crappy recipes taking up space in my precious binder.

My precious….

Oh, and I don’t use sheet protectors, simply because I have too many recipes.  I I would need a 3 inch binder if I used sheet protectors.  I use either my cupboard recipe clips, to hold them up out of the way so they stay a bit cleaner (but you know the REALLY good ones are pretty dirty).  I also made lists of recipes I liked most in my favorite cookbooks so I can still add those to our repertoire.

The whole thing supports my menu planning  since the tabs in the “main dish” area are my categories for my meal plans.  also, when I plan to use a recipe I put it at the front of the divider.  When I’m searching for recipes, I start at the back — since those are ones we haven’t had in a while (less decisions makes for better decisions).

Anyway, that’s how I do my recipe binder.  Do you have a recipe binder that you love?  What could I switch around to make this more useable?

Be sure to get my free menu planner:

The post Organized Recipe Binder appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I used to find (and sometimes still do) find menu planning really overwhelming.  SO many recipes with different ingredients, to find what we have and what we don’t have. {I-yi-yi!}.

Then I watched a Food Nanny episode.  She is a big believer on giving each night a theme.  Something clicked.  I don’t really like her themes, but I had themes of my own that I could pitch in. And somehow  having a meal plan template for the week made it a little bit easier! Be sure to keep reading for

But first: If you’re looking to simplify your family life and get over your “everyday hurdles” a little easier — check-out my course Family Routines.  New content is being added all year.  You can jump in for a month and leave when you’re ready!  I even have a section on getting kids to help more with dinner! #winning!

Ok, back to menu planning:

My themes tend to be these:

1.  Chicken

2.  Casserole

3. Main dish (I have a random main dish area of my casserole book, those fit in there)

4.  Pasta

5.  New (I have a ton of recipes torn from magazines, and I also use my pinterest Main Dishes board pretty often to find a new recipe I’m wanting to try)

6.  Soup/Salad (depending on the time of year)

7.  Crock Pot

My recipe binder has these specific tabs within the main dish area.

Meal Planning can be more fun if you have something cute to do it on, like this or this. #sillybuttrue

I don’t assign meals to a certain day of the week because I can’t tolerate that kind of restriction.  I do usually think through what I’ll have the next few nights, considering people’s schedules.

My recipe book also fits into these themes.  All of those categories have a different tab (underneath a main dish tab — you know me, I love me a sub category).  Maybe one of these days I’ll do a post on the recipe book, but I do think it’s easier if your recipe book helps support your meal planning.

Here’s how the budget fits in:

Anyway, 7 meals usually takes us through 2 weeks.  It doesn’t make sense.  I would guess there is at least one night a week Drew and I go out (although, not lately), and I usually have an emergency dinner a couple of times a week (pancakes, tacos, etc.).  Somehow it all works out.

I only make things that I have in the pantry.  Sure, I might add some fresh produce.  A lot of times I’m picking meals that I already have the produce for either in the fridge or in the garden.

If I’m low on spaghetti sauce, we don’t have spaghetti.  If I have no spaghetti sauce (frankly, unheard of, but this is just an example) we REALLY don’t have spaghetti.  I was thinking I wanted to have more shrimp, so during a week where I don’t have a lot of groceries I stocked up on shrimp.

I try to keep a mental note of what meats we have in the freezer.  I most often buy them in bulk and freeze.  I also try to do a meatless dish at some point during the week since that keeps the budget small also.  Once Spaghetti sauce is on sale, we’re back in business!

The other thing is that most of my meals are made 100% from scratch.  Even my spaghetti sauce often starts with just tomatoes.  Buy doing more of the work myself I am saving money, I know where the ingredients came from, and I know how they’re cooked.

I try to only go to the grocery store once a week, and Costco monthly (you can see my family finance posts).  If there is a meal or two that I need another ingredient for, I will jot that on my list and pick it up.  We obviously, just don’t have that meal until I get the ingredient.

NOTE:  My pantry is REALLY large.  I keep a LOT of items on hand all the time, and that is important to me, and it also makes meal planning a lot more simple because I have a lot to choose from.  If you have a smaller pantry you’ll just have to make this work for you.

Do you meal plan.  Any tips you can give me?  If you don’t, try it for a week and see if it diminishes your stress.

Other Posts you might find helpful:

How I Grocery Shop
Our Family Finances
My Actual Menu Plans

The post How I Create Healthy Family Meal Plan on a Budget? appeared first on Pulling Curls.

We are over 7 years into my bread journey.  I started making it after my last baby because I knew I’d have some spare time while she was napping. I wanted to make something that
1) My family would enjoy.
2) Would save us money.
3) Was healthy.

Seven years later and I really enjoy doing it. Our house smells amazing and my family and friends love it!  Making bread from scratch can be a really rewarding process.  Let’s go!

Making whole wheat bread at Home

When I started making whole wheat bread the recipe that I found worked best was from Deals to Meals (which I was initially using to save money on groceries — it’s an awesome service!), but through trial and error I have made some adjustments to make it work better for myself.  That recipe was a great foundation though!

Mixing Whole Wheat Bread

I do use a mixer to make my bread.  It is tough to really do all the kneading necessary to get 4 full loaves of whole wheat bread made.

Basically, I am lazy — so I use a mixer.

**Update:  Since I wrote this post I have gotten a Bosch.  Learn about Bosch mixer Vs Kitchenaid << right there.

I used to use my 6 qt professional KitchenAid mixer (you can also get a refurb KitchenAid cheaper on Amazon), and I have tailored this recipe to work in the KitchenAid.

However, I was burning out the motor from the very beginning.

Kitchenaid mixers are NOT good at mixing 100% whole wheat bread.

I always had to add some white flour to get it to keep mixing and make the process easier.  Which, I found super frustrating.

SO, I got a Bosch Universal Mixer.  It can do 4 (or more) full 100% whole wheat bread loaves really easily.  The motor doesn’t seem phased at all.

If you plan to do 100% whole wheat bread — I recommend the Bosch  I love my Bosch, I love it so much more for bread — be sure to check out my post about Bosch vs Kitchen Aid to pick the mixer that will work best for you. Also, check out my best Bosch tip (I always thought I’d love it best for bread, but it turns out that I love it even more for batters and cookies).

100 Percent Whole Wheat

It’s much more economical to grind your own wheat.  You can also learn about all the amazing nutritional benefits of processing the wheat yourself.  I decided it was the right plan for us and I’m glad. I haven’t ever looked back.

This video will show the process from beginning to end:

My Wheat Grinder

I do grind my own wheat.  I use wheat berries.  I personally get them from the LDS cannery (which you do not have to be LDS to shop at — this blog explains more about how it works) — but you can get them easily on Amazon.

I use a Nutrimill classic grinder — seven years ago when I bought it was the best I could find for the price I could afford.  Grinding by hand was something I had considered, but I am SO grateful I have this grinder.  It’s a workhorse!

Recently, Nutrimill sent me the Harvest mill — I compare the two here: Grain Mills: Which one is best?

You can buy them here:

• Nutrimill Classic Grinder
• Nutrimill Harvest Grinder

Best Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

First off, I get my tap running, I use the hottest tap water we have for the recipe.  If you have a tiny water heater and only have lukewarm water, this probably won’t work for you — but it does work for me.  The water should be steaming, if you don’t see steam, it’s probably not hot enough (or, it’s Arizona in the summer, as it’s hard to tell if it’s your skin or your water that is steaming).

This receipe makes 4 loaves of bread.

Obtain 5 cups of steaming hot water.

Pour it into your mixer bowl.  That’s right, water first (this prevents the flour from sticking too much to the bottom of the bowl and being difficult to mix in later)

Then, I dump in 2/3 cup vital wheat gluten (I was just buying the kind from Walmart for a while, but recently a friend gave me a can from Honeyville and I think it’s made my bread THAT much yummier. I will be purchasing it from them all the time now).  You can also grab gluten from Amazon.

Dump in 2.5 T instant yeast (I get mine at Costco, it looks like loaf yeast but it’s actually the little grains, just with all the air removed).

Dump in 7 cups of whole wheat flour.  Mine I usually freshly ground in my Nutri-mill.  Do it all at once, it will still work.

I mix that for one minute, by then it should all be mixed in with maybe a few small patches of flour on the edges (but not much).

Then, it sits like a little bandit on my counter covered with a cloth for 10 minutes.

This technique is called sponging and from what I read it’s extra great for freshly ground whole wheat flour to soak in all that liquid.

During this time, I grab all the ingredients for the next step — the sugar, salt, oil and lemon juice.  I usually also throw in a load of laundry and sometimes grease my pans.

After the 10 minutes (a timer comes in REALLY handy during the bread making process), you pull off the cover and you’ll see this.  The flour, yeast, and gluten mixture will have risen a bit and look all gooey.

Then, it’s time to dump in your sugar (I use brown sugar instead of honey, I heard it freezes better and I think it’s easier to use than honey.  I have tried both and I didn’t notice a difference), lemon juice, salt, and oil.  Mix that all up for about a minute (until it looks pretty well combined).  You may still have a few clumps of brown sugar, that’s alright, it will mix in with the rest of the stuff.

Then, I put on my little mixing collar and slowly add the other 5 cups of whole wheat flour.

I often pre-measure this and have it waiting in a bowl nearby.  I have a really hard time counting out cups of flour while parenting, so if there’s a quiet moment during the 10 minute sponging I try to do this then.  I use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 4 cups of all-purpose, just because this seems to be the mixture that makes it so my mixer doesn’t stop part-way through it. I do this for the KitchenAid – if using a Bosch you can use all whole wheat flour.

**Mixing up whole wheat flour is a lot harder then mixing up regular flour in your mixer, so be sure to check your manual to see how much you can put in. I experimented, and this is what worked for me (again, mostly only important if you have a Kitchenaid)

With my Kitchenaid I 2/3 this recipe, to make sure it can make it through.  Just FYI.

I dump in those 5 cups, one at a time (using the mixing collar, the mixer runs the whole time).  Make sure that the flour gets pretty well incorporated between each dump.  The total mixing time in here, for me, is usually around 8 minutes.  But, it can go as high as 10.

I was actually watching America’s Test Kitchen the other day when they said that you don’t really have to worry about over-mixing bread.  I always had a worry in the back of my head that I would over-mix it and it would be bad. I worry less now and my bread is coming out better.

Here are two things I watch for when I am making bread dough:

• It usually takes about 2-3 minutes once all the flour is mixed in.
• You will notice the bread is mixed and looks fairly smooth, but a little grainy — don’t stop mixing it at this point, it will be better if you keep going until it looks REALLY smooth.  Honestly, like a baby’s bottom.  If in question, keep going a minute more.  A lot of bread making is experimenting.  You can do it!

Sometimes my mixer (KitchenAid) peters out before the bread is done — in which case I hand knead it for a bit.  It makes me feel all Ma Ingalls and appreciate my mixer more

**Most modern KitchenAid’s seem to be equipped with a stop function when it is getting overheated.  Mine has always re-started after this, but I try not to get it to this point.  Sometimes I smell a little burning and I’ll just stop and hand knead it.  If yours stops, let it cool down for about 1/2 an hour and you can try again.  However, if you are close to the end, I’d just pull the dough out and finish kneading it on your own.

While the mixer is finishing I usually grab and grease my bread pans.  I recently bought four 88 cent pans from Walmart and they cook well and are going strong.  I only cook this type of bread in them, I don’t wash them, and they have done fine.  I don’t see a need for fancy pans here.

Sometimes during the mixing I set my oven to heat to 350 for 2 minutes.  My oven will allow me to only heat it for those 2 minutes, so maybe see if yours can.  It makes it easy in case you get distracted, your oven doesn’t get too warm.

I take my dough scraper and pull the dough out of the bowl.  I use the straight side to cut into four fairly even loaves.  Often, they’re not as even as I’d like — but what can I do?  I certainly can’t lose sleep over it.  I form each one into a loaf, mostly turning the bottom into the middle (using my fingers — does that make sense?).  I plop it into the pre-greased pans (I just use Pam). Then, I push it all down until it is fairly even in the pans, otherwise you end up with HUGE slices in the middle, and sad ones on the end — and no kid wants that.

Then, into the warm oven they go.  The recipe says it should take 10-15 minutes to rise to the top of the pans, but mine takes a bit longer, closer to 30 minutes.  Then, I cook them at 350 for about 40 minutes.  I have had some raw bread in the middle and that’s REALLY no good.  40 minutes tended to be my oven’s sweet spot.

Once they’re done I pull them out of the oven.  I use a plastic knife (the kid kind from Ikea) to go along the edge so you don’t end up with clumps of bread left in the pan (and you don’t cut into the pans with a sharp knife), I dump them onto wire racks and let them cool for about 3 hours.  Then, I put them in sacks (I buy these sacks on Amazon because I think they fit loaves the best) and we’re done!  Easy peasy, right?

These are my loaves here, are they perfect in every way?  No, but they are homemade — I know where all the ingredients came from and that’s more then I can say for perfectly shaped loaves from the store. That’s good enough for me.

Here’s the printable recipe! (Use print friendly to print it easily).

Or, get it sent to your inbox:

Pull Your Bread, Not your Curls Bread Recipe
Makes 4 loaves
(if your mixer is smaller then 6 qt, you will need to reduce)

Add 5 cups steaming hot water in your mixer bowl
then add:
7 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup Vital wheat gluten
2.5 T instant yeast
Mix for 1 minute on speed 2
Allow to sponge for 10 minutes covered.

Then, mix in 2T salt
2/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2.5 Tablespoons lemon juice (bottled is fine)
mix for 1 minute on speed 2 (until combined)

Then add, a cup at a time (mixing well in between each addition)
5 cups of flour (determine the mixture that works best for you — mine is 1 cup whole wheat, 4 cups all purpose).

**So, in total you will have used 12 cups of flour — 7 before sponging, and 5 after, you can use whatever ratio of whole wheat to white you think your mixer can tolerate (now that I use the Bosch, I use 100% whole wheat — but it WILL KILL your Kitchenaid at this size recipe).

Allow to mix until it looks REALLY smooth.  This will take 8-10 minutes from when you started adding the salt etc. all on speed 2.

Pre-heat oven to a low temp for 1-2 minutes and turn off.

Divide dough into 4 loaves, press evenly into the corners so you get a more even loaf.
Place in the warm oven for 30-ish minutes (until the dough reaches the top of the pans).  Then, turn the oven on to 350 and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Pull out and place on wire racks to cool.

If you’re into bread — check out my post on bread hacks, and my other post about making a LOT of bread at once.

This post was originally published in 2013, but has been updated.

The post Best Whole Wheat Bread Recipe: 100% whole wheat bread for sandwiches appeared first on Pulling Curls.

KitchenAid vs Bosch Universal vs Nutrimill Artiste

Today, we’re going to review three heavy duty mixers (click on the name of the mixer to skip to that review):

Nutrimill Artiste:  Basically the baby sister of the Bosch Universal.  It mixes in a smilar way, motor isn’t quite as robust, but can use a lot of the same accessories.

KitchenAid Pro Stand Mixer:  For most people the gold standard.  It is what most TV shows use and is likely the most popular of the three.

Bosch Universal Mixer:  I believe this to be the powerhouse of the three.  But, not as well known unless you talk to homemakers who love to make bread.  

** Looking for a Bosch Universal Mixer? — I have a great deal to save you a ton (and get you some awesome accessories)**

I have been making bread at home like a pro since 2009.  I initially bought a KitchenAid Professional 4.5 qt mixer (later upgraded to the 6 qt) due to a small kitchen space, but have recently tried the Nutrimill Artiste and the Bosch Universal and wanted to give you a side-by-side of the three.

FYI, I always thought the problem was the “tilt head” of my first mixer (rather than the lifting bar that the 6.5 qt had) but both lasted about the same period of time.

Full Disclosure:  I was sent both the Bosch Universal and the Nutrimill Artiste for my full reviews with no requirements that they be positive.  They were aware I would give my full, valued opinion.  Just so you know.

**I’ve included a photo of each of them in the same spot on my counter to help you get an idea of sizing.**

The Bosch Universal Mixer

The Bosch Universal has an 800 w motor and can mix up to about 15 pounds of bread dough! It also comes in a stainless steel version.

Bosch mixes the bread in a very different way than the KitchenAid or other stand mixers.

It is clearly the workhorse out of these three. The Bosch can handle almost double the amount of flour that my KitchenAid could.

It is a bit bulkier than the Artiste, although not as tall so if the height is an issue that might be a plus for it.

It has 2 drives — a high-speed drive (for use with the optional blender and other attachments) and the high torque drive for the mixing bowl — that’s the thing jutting up to the right.

Here is the Artiste and the Universal side by side:

Keep in mind that both the Bosch AND the NutriMill have LOTS of attachments you can use them.

BTW, want a post that compares JUST the NutriMill vs the Bosch << check out that post.

Bread Kneading Bosch Vs KitchenAid Mixer:

I always knew that the Bosch did a great job on bread — and it does!  There will be no motor burn-out with this one.  No weird burning smell or noticing that I am absolutely KILLING the motor.

I am still having a hard time watching it knead bread, as it does it VERY different than the KitchenAid (that I am used to).  I have just held true to the timing I’d used with the KitchenAid and while I don’t think the dough looks as smooth — it turns out great.

If you’re familiar with the KitchenAid — bread making (the kneading) just looks different.  However, the motor WORKS — and it will work for a lot of bread.  That’s really where the Bosch shines for most bakers (due to the vast quantities). The KitchenAid just has spiral mixers, where the Bosch is doing more circular — if I can describe it. I think they call it more of a planetary mixer — because the whips are rotating in the bowl as the whips are also rotated.

I will say that I feel like the Bosch dough mixer doesn’t do as well with small recipes for loaves of bread (I usually make like 4 — so that isn’t my intended purpose). I prefer the Kitchenaid for that — just be aware your motor has a small life…. If you’re looking for small batches of Sourdough the Kitchenaid might be better?

The Kitchen Aid has a spiral dough hook. The Bosch has a metal bar that bends to push the dough around the bowl. They look VERY different.

BUT, I am in LOVE with creating batters with it.  Because of the angle of the blades, it incorporates air and everything seems to taste better than it did with my KitchenAid.

I was really surprised by how much I liked it.

Bosch vs KitchenAid Attachments

The KitchenAid is always touted because it has all the cool attachments (although I’ve had friends who haven’t had luck with some of them due to the lack of motor on the KitchenAid).

The Bosch has tons of attachments.  I have the blender, the slicer/shredder, and the ice cream maker.

The ice cream maker, I can’t rave enough about it. I tried it and it was AMAZING (it made ice cream in about 15 minutes, which was AMAZING!!!).

I also love the slicer/shredder and the blender. MOSTLY it’s nice to have such a GREAT motor that works so well with each of the attachments (which will save you space in the kitchen vs having each one and their own motor separate).

They also have a meat grinder, large slicer shredder, pasta roller, berry de-seeder etc.  It seems to have all the attachments the KitchenAid touts.  Super handy!

The BEST part of the Bosch is its WORKHORSE of a motor.  It really is the high point.  Keep that in mind as you compare the mixers I’m sharing.

Looking for Bosch Mixer Tips << that post is all about it!

Bosch Universal Mixer Sale & Coupon Code

For so long I had looked for the Bosch mixer at Costco and was so sad when it was never there.  But, no more, I have an awesome deal that’s just as good!

I can give you the Bosch Universal with ALL of my favorite attachments (including a bonus) for just over $400.  You can find it all at this link.  Compare it’s price with the Amazon basic package (without all the bells & whistles) for just under $350. Often, the packages I can offer you (and you can only get them here, not in stores) — include….

• Bosch Universal Plus Stand Mixer (that’s the big one — that handles a LOT of dough)
• Paddles for batters/cookie dough
• Wire whips for whipping
• Bowl scraper that fits over all of the above to keep the ingredients in the mixing area (this is a favorite of mine, makes batters easy)
• Dough hook and dough hook extender for large and small batches of dough (use that extender for small batches like pizza dough).
• Sometimes a special bonus is included, depending on the time of the year.

If that’s still out of your price range a bit — read on for the Artiste.  I think it’s great too!

FAQ’s about the Bosch Universal Mixer:

What’s the Bosch Universal Warranty?

Depending on which mixer package you get (sometimes they throw in an extra year with their warranty) it is 3 years for the motor and transmission, and 1 year on the parts & plastic.

BUT, I have heard that if the mixer poops out of its own accord — and frankly, I think that’s pretty-well unheard of — then I would certainly call them.  They really do stand behind their products!

Honestly, I’ve never had someone have something go wrong with the actual mixer.  I have heard of beaters breaking when you use too cold of butter (I talk about that in this Bosch tips post), but other than that they really are just workhorses!

They also have great customer service — if you have an issue, no matter how old your mixer is, I would contact them.

Also, if you purchase through any links here they will have a record of your purchase — I would always try to purchase through Bosch themselves when possible because if anything were to go wrong they are more likely to work with you!

What are the Bosch Attachments

At this time attachments include:

• Slicer Shredder
• Meat Grinder
• Noodle attachment (goes on the meat grinder)
• Berry Press (juices berries, apples, etc)
• Blender
• Flour Sifter (I just saw this — this sounds HANDY)
• Citrus Juicer
• Food Processor (this is next on my list)

You can also use attachments for the Artiste mixer, as their bowls are the same (they are sister companies)

• Ice Cream Maker

All of those attachments either go in the bowl, on the other attachment area, OR some of them use the mixer placed on its side.  It’s pretty cool!

What Paddles/Mixing Tools are available for the Bosch Universal?

There are a lot of different hooks/blades/paddles available for the Bosch — some may come with your mixer bundle, and some may not.

• Cake Paddles
• Dough Hook
• Dough Hook Extender
• Wire whips
• Batter Whisks
• Cookie paddles (these do break, so make sure your butter is softened!)

And, don’t forget the bowl scraper.  It’s AWESOME!  A huge favorite of mine, really does its job.

Do you just like the Bosch better because they gave you one?

No, not at all.

In fact, if you watch my videos I mention that I don’t like the kneading of the Bosch as well as I liked the KitchenAid’s.  I think it spins the dough a lot more than it kneads it.

BUT, because it has a freaking WORKHORSE of a motor, it makes up for it.  I’m a huge fan.

If I had to buy a mixer again in my super small kitchen, I may have bought the KitchenAid again.  The footprint is just a lot smaller (there is a Bosch compact mixer, but I haven’t tried it, nor have they mentioned it to me, which makes me think it’s not that awesome).  I’d just know I’d need to either 1) Not mix 100% whole wheat bread dough with it or 2) Buy a new one every 5 years or so.

The key is really that motor.  It’s AMAZING!!!!!

Ok — back to the comparison of the Bosh vs the KitchenAid Mixer

KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid that I had was the 6 qt that says it can do up to 14 cups of flour — but the manual recommends not to use more than 8 cups of whole wheat flour.  I can do two or three loaves of bread in it, and I have to do about 50% white flour in order to get it to finish the load.

When I bought the Kitchenaid I knew that it wasn’t as powerful of a machine, but — at the time — our kitchen was a VERY small galley kitchen with maybe 1 yard of counter space total?  I was looking for the smallest footprint and went with the KitchenAid.

It has served me well and I like it a lot, but it is dying (this one is the 2nd one after my last mixer died).  It’s frustrating to spend so much on something only to have it die — but that’s how the cookie crumbles.  Get it, cookies.  Yum.

It can’t even finish the 3 loaf recipe before it starts to smell and then dies. #sadface

I like the KitchenAid.  It worked well for quite a while.  It comes in many colors and it seems to be the standard on cooking shows.  But, I just don’t know why people keep rating it above the Bosch.

Really.  My KitchenAid (because I actually have all 3 of these mixers) sits in a closet downstairs — and I haven’t looked back.

BUT, the main benefit of the KitchenAid mixer is:

• The price.  A lot of the time, you can get it cheaper than the Bosch (keep in mind the Bosch will last you 3 or 4 times longer, so the KitchenAid price is actually a lot more, but I get wanting to stay in budget).
• The footprint is still smaller.  For smaller kitchens, it’s nice.  If I had to re-do my purchase from 2009, I still don’t know that I’d pick the Bosch vs the KitchenAid mixers, just because it’s still a lot bigger (and I had a very small kitchen at that point in time).
• As a New Mixer it’s a winner — it’s really quite powerful out of the box, just know that with time that powerful-ness will decrease. Your first time mix will be strong and awesome.

**I know you’re thinking this is just an ad for the Bosch, but I searched OUT a deal on the Bosch because I love it THAT much more.  I tell ALL of my friends how much more I love the Bosch vs the KitchenAid.

FAQ’s about the Kitchenaid Mixer

What is the warranty for the Kitchenaid Mixer?

Depending on how you buy it, it’s usually 1-2 years, but as they have more retailers, it can vary quite a bit.

What happens when the KitchenAid motor starts to go?

For me, I start to notice a hot electronics smell  Then, more of a burning, and then it stops. Many have mentioned the plastic gears get stressed and are really problematic.

If I let it rest for 30-40 minutes and plug it in again, it will start back up….

But, by then my dough needs to be done, so I usually just do it by hand.

NutriMill Artiste Mixer Review

The NutriMill Artiste is actually a newer addition to the stand mixer scene.  I initially got a demo model, (which was problematic) but they’ve done a couple of updates lately that have really increased it’s power and ability!

NutriMill is the sister company to Bosch in the US.  They are the distribution arm for Bosch in the US — so the fact that they work together is super cool!

The idea behind it seems to be that it’s a little smaller (it doesn’t have the 2nd drive shaft with the blender area).  It also will only be 650 w but the bowl and attachments fit both the Artiste and the regular Bosch — which is AWESOME! I love using the Ice Cream Maker attachment on my Bosch.

I did test the Artiste.  I will say that the motor isn’t quite as strong still.  Truly a story of “you get what you pay for”.  BUT, it IS good.  Probably as good/better than the the KitchenAid.  I love the price point and I think it’s a great option for someone who wants a mixer but isn’t ready to invest in the Universal.

They just made an update to the Artiste where they made the motor more powerful, upgraded the drivetrain, improved the center column, better bowls and circuits. It can now handle up to 6 lbs of dough (the Unviersal can handle 14).

If you’re just looking to do cookies (be sure to soften your butter first either way), and matters, the Artiste would be fine. However, if you’re looking to do large amounts of bread dough (especially with whole wheat) I’d recommend the Universal.

BTW, it’s bowl is interchangeable with the Universal (as are all the attachments) — that makes it SUPER handy if you have both!

Bosch Universal vs KitchenAid Mixer

The Bosch Universal powered through my bread dough recipe like a boss.  In fact, I think I’m going to do the math to make 2 more loaves (for a total of 6) the next time I try it in this.

The “kneading” does look very different with the Bosch.  If you’re looking at the two, just keep that in mind.

Yes, the Bosch and the KitchenAid have similar bowl sizes per capacity (6qt vs 6.5 qt in the Bosch) but because the Bosh’s dough hook is much more compact, coming from the bottom — it works better.

Keep in mind the Bosch just holds more because that lid can enclose it, whereas the KitchenAid can still fling dough around your kitchen.

The Bosch is also completely contained with its lid, vs the KitchenAid that just gives you a funnel to add flour to, and that splash ring type apparatus.

Also, I constantly had dough “climbing” my KitchenAid dough hook.  That won’t be a problem in the Bosch.

My bread recipe has an initial sponging period after adding the flour, gluten, water and yeast.

The KitchenAid took about a full minute to combine those ingredients, and the Bosch took about 20 seconds.  The Bosch does seem to combine things faster.  I love that.

Whipped cream happens in seconds, not minutes.

The Bosch also combined the full ingredients much quicker than my KitchenAid.

The Bosch does have a different pattern to kneading.  In total it probably kneaded for a similar amount of time for double the amount of dough.  The bread turned out great — all four loaves (my KitchenAid would’ve only done 2-3 loaves).

It did a great job, I’m thrilled — just like ALL my friends said I would be.

The other thing I like is Bosch’s integrated cord storage (although you could set-up command hooks to wrap the cord on the kitchenaid). It’s nice not have cords all over the counter (I’m looking at you Mr Toaster).

Mixing Batters – Bosch Universal vs Kitchenaid Pro

As far as mixing other items I had always heard the Bosch Universal wasn’t great at making things like cookies/batters etc.

They were wrong.  With the new bowl scraper attachment, it is AMAZING!

I actually think the Bosch mixes cookies, cake batter, etc BETTER.  Also, because the beaters are close to the bottom of the bowl — even when I’m just doing 2 egg whites it does a great job (the KitchenAid would barely even touch 2 egg whites, so I was really happy with that).

It’s hard to envision it (or video it — because it goes so fast) but the mixer blades go around the bowl, plus they spin on their own, and they’re also spinning at an angle, so gravity plays into it.

I think of it as to how the moon spins around the earth and the earth is spinning around the sun.  Just sped up a lot to beat your egg whites in an insanely short period of time.

I’m sure that’s why it goes so much faster.  I made cream one night and it made it just in a few minutes.

Also, I found that the KitchnAid 6qt was hard with smaller batches of cream or egg whites.  The Bosch does fine with small or large quantities, again — because of how the blades work.

Comparing Bosch Universal Mixer Vs KitchenAid Clean-Up

All metal parts do have to be hand washed.  On all mixers — except stainless steel bowls can be put in the dishwasher (both the Bosch and the KitchenAid can have a stainless steel bowl).

The KitchenAid dough hook seems to be a little easier to clean than the Bosch, but not a whole lot easier (just more surfaces to clean on the Bosch).

The bowl seems a bit easier to clean on the Bosh/Nutrimill.  I find that the stainless easily gets stuff built-up on it, vs the white bowl it came off a bit easier.

Clean-up on both isn’t bad at all.

Final Review: Bosch Stand Mixer vs KitchenAid

All in all I think they’re all great mixers.   I don’t think the KitchenAid is a poor purchase, but I DO think that if you have the right space and the cash, the Bosch Universal is 100% the right way to go.

After having both, I still think KitchenAid has a nicer footprint for smaller kitchens, and it is cheaper.

If money is an issue — check out the Nutrimill Artiste!  I don’t think the motor is quite as good, but it’s still a great little workhorse.  Also, if you were ever wanting to upgrade to the Bosch Universal, all of your stuff can be used with that as well….

See the Nutrimill Artiste here

And, be sure to sign up for my favorite bread recipe below — it’s unique in some of its processes and I think you’ll really like it!

I hope you enjoyed this post with a Bosch kitchen machine review.  I shared where to buy a Bosch mixer and how to get the Bosch Universal Mixer Manual.  We’ve compared the Nutrimill vs Kitchenaid.  And hopefully answered if the KitchenAid pro 600 is too big.

Originally written in Sept 2017, but has been updated since then.

The post Bosch Universal Mixer vs Kitchenaid Mixer vs The Nutrimill Artiste Mixer appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I love my Instant Pot, but not long after I got mine, I started to have FOMO for all the air fryers out there.

It just seemed like it would be glorious to have food that SEEMED fried, but wasn’t?

I was intrigued, but then I saw the size of a lot of those things, and I thought — I don’t have room for that.

I could possibly store it in my garage or in my basement, but I find that cooking items relegated to that area are seldom used (and I probably didn’t need in the first place).

Enter the CrispLid.

How does the CrispLid Work?

You can see my Instagram Story about it here.

It just sits on top of your Instant Pot. The gadget is basically a really hot element and a fan. So, it’s turning your instant pot, into a convection oven.

It does have some safety features, and an awesome silicone circle to put the mealthy on (so it doesn’t set your counter on fire) but that’s basically it. Genius.

It also comes with a basket and a trivet to keep it raised up (so air can circulate around your tiems).

That means you can use it to crisp up things you’ve already cooked in your Instant Pot (think, whole chickens) or just like an air fryer.

Mealthy CrispLid Coupon Code

You can enter code PULLINGCURLS to save $10 on your order on the Mealthy Site!

Is the CrispLid basket big enough?

I mean, that is truly the problem with ALL air fryers.

Recently, we made PotStickers with our Crisp Lid. They turned out alright, but I had to cook 3 batches for my family, and that was pretty annoying. However, after watching a few reviews on YouTube I learned that none of the baskets are much different than each other, so I am very happy with my CrispLid

How do you store the CrispLid

I currently have it back in its box in my pantry. I am sure it’s not the most storage-effective way to store it, but it’s working for me right now. I hope to find a better way (if you have one, tell me in the comments!).

The reality is that my Instant pot takes up SO MUCH ROOM it really has limited anything else I can purchase.

In some ways I wish I had bought the six quart, because you need to realize it’s BIG.

Anyway, that’s my review. I like it. I don’t think I’d spend my last dollar on it, but if you’ve really been wanting an air fryer, I think this is your best bet if you already have an Instant Pot!

The post Mealthy CrispLid Review & Coupon Code appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Bosch Universal Mixer at Costco

Yes, Costco is probably my favorite store.  And, in 2015 they did carry the Bosch Universal Mixer with the slicer/shredder (I think — it could have been the food processor).  My husband was in graduate school and there was just no way we could splurge on it (even though my Kitchenaid was already dying).

Since then, our funds increased, but it never came back.  In fact, I’m pretty sure the Bosch isn’t coming back to Costco {silent tear}

BUT, I have an even better deal.  And I can say that I love my Bosch mixer (which I didn’t buy at Costco)…

Bosch Mixer Sale

The Bosch was like $389 at Costco when it was there, but it it came with very limited attachments  — I believe the deal I can offer you at this link is even better — check it out!

I have a whole post where I compare the Bosch Universal to the Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.  There are a few ways that I prefer the Kitchenaid — especially if you have a very small kitchen, so you might want to check that post out.

I also have posts where I share my best cookie tips and my best bread making tips to use your stand mixer to it’s fullest!

If you still find that price hard to stomach, you might want to check ut the Nutrimill Artiste.  I compare the Nutrimill Artiste it to the Bosch Universal and Kitchenaid in that post.

Mixers at Costco

Costco most often carries the Kitchenaid — which is a fine mixer.  I used mine for many years in a very small kitchen (read more about then Kitchenaid Vs Bosch).

Sometimes I have seen a Sunbeam or another mixer there — but, if you are a serious baker — I would recommend either the Kitchenaid or the Bosch.

I have not seen the Bosch at Costco in MANY years, and as far as I hear — they aren’t going to be carrying it again.

Do the Bosch Cookie Paddles Break?

**SIDENOTE: When you use some sensible caution, this won’t happen (it hasn’t happened to me) — but some people have the question…. so, let’s talk about it.

If you put ice cold butter in any mixer it is going to stress the motor.

In the Kitchenaid, it can just stir it around doing basically nothing.

In the Bosch, because of how the cookie paddles mix where they go up and down throughout the bowl, it can’t avoid hitting that cold, hard butter.

And when it does, it can strain the motor.  So, rather than break that precious (and expensive) motor, it breaks the paddle.

The teeth on the paddles and whisks is meant to be the breaking point to protect the motor, transmission, and drive shaft

Tips to not let your cookie paddles break:

1.  Soften your butter.  If I forget to get it out ahead of time (aka, I never remember to do that), I will pop it in the microwave for a few seconds til’ it’s good.  If you chop your butter into small enough cubes, it will likely still work.

2.  If you are using a lot of texture in your cookies, switch to the dough hook as it’s not going to break with oats and chocolate chips, where your cookie paddles might be stressed out.

Bosch does have a 30-day no questions asked return policy on the cookie paddles, so be sure to try them out when you get your mixer to make sure you have the hang of it.

What type of attachments does the Bosch Mixer have?

Kitchenaid always touts how many cool attachments they have.

But, because you’re always dealing with the poorly constructed Ktichanaid Motor, you will hurt your mixer as you use them.

But, when you have a workhorse like the Bosch, you can use attachments like crazy (btw, I list all the current attachments in my original Bosch vs Kitchenaid post).

So far, my favorite ones are:

• The Ice Cream Maker — the Bosch plows through the creamy mixer and turns it SO well!  WAY, WAY better than our super expensive Cuisineart one!
• The Blender — This isn’t a blender that will blend through 40 pounds of Kale. {eww}  But, because I don’t do a ton of kale in my smoothies, I can just grab the jar, throw it on the bosch and whip something up.  I love that the motor is already on the counter, so it’s easier to use. Same thing for the food processor.  It’s just there, so it’s WAY eaiser than dragging out some other motor that’s stuck behind my Instant Pot — sound familiar?

>> Get the Bosch Today! <<

Bosch Universal Stand Mixer FAQ’s

So, there are some tips for your Bosch Universal Mixer.  If you’re holding your breath to get the Costco deal again — don’t wait anymore, grab this deal, and enjoy your mixer for years, and pass it down to your kids.

If you liked this post, grab my bread recipe (which I make in my Bosch)

The post Looking for the Bosch Mixer at Costco? ~ The best deal since 2015! appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I just got some meat from Just Meats and they are SUPER convenient. I recommend them now.

Buying Chicken in Bulk

Buying chicken in bulk can reap a lot of benefits:

• Save money
• Save time by processing it all together
• Often you get a better quality of meat by buying it all at once.

Purchasing Bulk Chicken

While I don’t have a supplier for raw bulk chicken I like — I do watch the ads, and when it’s on a good sale (and the longer you watch it the better you’ll know what a sale is) it’s time to pounce.

I like to get a lot.

Then, it’s time to process it.

** We recently bought a FoodSaver at Costco just for the time we bought the whole farm.

I mostly like that it will keep this high-quality chicken good for a long time.  It did take longer to process than with just ziplocks.  I hope that the effort will pay off.

I have a whole Instagram story about how I processed our last order.

How to process bulk chicken breasts:

The breasts are pretty large, but they are hormone free.  And quite possibly the best chicken breasts we’ve ever had!

Who knows how those boobs get so big — little dumbells for those wings?

Anywho, I can’t just leave them as breasts.  Mostly, my family doesn’t eat breasts all that frequently — does yours?

So, here’s what I do:

First off, make sure you have an ample supply of baggies.  You don’t want to find out halfway through your chicken fiesta that you don’t have enough.

The chicken comes in 4 10’ish pound  bags.

Bag #1:  I chop it up into 1 inch pieces.  I use chicken a lot in dishes.  I like to keep it raw so i can marinate it or flavor it as it cooks.

Bag #2:  I cut into strips.  I used to buy a lot of chicken tenders, as that is what my family likes most.  By cutting these giant boobs into 5 strips each I can use them in variety of ways.

Bag #3:  I bag 4 bags of 3 breasts/bag.  I think maybe only my husband would eat a full breast, the other two we can all split.  I cut the rest of the chicken into pieces, like those in #1.

Bag #4:  I stuff as much into my crock pot as possible, and fill it about 1/2 full with chicken stock, salt, and pepper corns.  I try not to season it too much.  I cook it for 4-6 hours until it’s up to temperature.  I then let it cool for a bit, and then put it in the mixer, which will mix it to shreds (I LOVE that trick).  I then package them in baggies in 1-2 cup measure amounts.  I also save the liquid from cooking, and use it later when a recipe calls for broth/stock.

I pack the chicken in baggies one heaping cup of cut-up pieces or 8 strips.  I push the baggies flat and freeze them in stacks (which is what you see on the top).  It’s easier to defrost a flat package, and sometimes I forget (gasp) to get it out early enough.  I’m sure I’m the only one.

Be careful as you clean-up – -we all know raw chicken isn’t our stomach’s friend.

Anyway, I like getting it all out of the way at once. It probably takes an hour or two, but it’s worthwhile to have some of my meal prep done in advance.

Don’t forget to defrost your freezer ahead of time.  Yuck, just another job I hate.

Bock-bock-bock…it’s the chicken dance. {when it’s done}

Do you buy chicken in bulk?  Do you think it’s better to process it all at once instead of in small batches.  I bet that 40 pounds will last be about 5-6 months, just in time for another Savory Butcher drop-off.

This post was originally written in January 2015, and has been updated.

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