The Mixer Bible: Over 300 Recipes for Your Stand Mixer

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

In many kitchens, the big stand mixer is simply a dust collector, taking
scarce space on the counter in return for occasionally mixing a batch of
cookies. Deeds and Snyder set out to ensure that the mixer earns its
keep by giving an introduction and recipes designed to use all the
capabilities of these complex machines. These include, in addition to
the standard flat beater, a dough hook, wire whip, pouring shield,
slicer, shredder, grinder, strainer, sausage stuffer, pasta maker, pasta
roller and cutter, ravioli maker, juicer, and ice cream maker. The
function and cleaning instructions for each attachment is described. For
those not familiar with the attachments, illustrations and more detailed
directions for assembly would have been useful. Also, the lack of safety
information is a concern.

The 300 recipes include appetizers, soups, entrées, sausages, pasta,
breads, baked goods, desserts, condiments, and sauces. The layout of
each recipe is especially clear, with the required mixer attachments
listed first, then the ingredients given in both imperial and metric
measures, followed by plain-language method, and usually, preparation,
storage, and serving tips. Regrettably, there is no nutritional
analysis.

The recipes—everyday dishes with lots of Asian and Italian
influences—are on the low end of stylish. They’re aimed at families
with cautiously adventurous tastes and cooks who have the time and
inclination for elaborate preparation such as grinding meat, blending
the filling and stuffing sausages, making pasta from scratch, and baking
bread. For many dishes, the quantities are rather large for the average
family, with recipes designed, typically, for six to 10 people.

Overall, it is a practical if unexciting book that opens up lots of
possibilities for getting more use from a stand mixer.