[Italiancook]

I had a horrible experience trying to make Now or Later Pizza dough (KAF), and it's not KAF's fault. First, I couldn't get either of my 2 paddle beaters onto the mixer. My husband and I had to push, pull, and twist for a long time until one of the beaters went on. Mixed dough for 2 minutes and the head of the mixer wasn't acting right. Managed to take off the paddle beater, after some time. Thankfully, the dough hook went on fine.

As the mixer was running, the head kept bouncing up and down. Took bowl and hook off. My husband worked a long time trying to fix the problem. A hinge that goes from one side of the mixer to the other side had come almost completely out. Husband and I worked and worked trying to right it. Finally succeeded. Mixer head still bounced. We realized the head is tilted. I machine-kneaded the dough for a few minutes and gave up. I should have finished it by hand-kneading, but didn't think of that. Husband was busy with a screw driver, talking, and I gave up on the kneading. Covered dough and hoped for the best.

It rose fine. I put half in the freezer and half in the refrig for tomorrow. Called Kitchenaid customer service. A nice woman walked me through an adjustment that didn't solve problem. She said to check the beater to bowl contact with a dime, but bowl is in dishwasher. Will do that later today. If that doesn't solve the problem, she said it needs servicing, but there's no service center around here. So tomorrow, I may be shopping for a new stand mixer. I'll go with the cheapest KitchenAid again, as this one has lasted 19 years.

Hmmmm, but since I'm now making bread and pizza dough more often, I wonder if I need a heavier duty stand mixer. I have limited counter space for it, and it must not be any longer or wider than the one I have now. I sure hope I'm thrilled with the taste of the pizza tomorrow after all this!

Anyone have an idea why the paddle beaters didn't want to go on the mixer? Or why they wouldn't turn to lock? Or why they were bears to twist off? I used a brush on the spring & no debris came off. I brushed the inside and edges of the beaters and still had problems. The instruction book says they can be washed in dishwasher, and that's what I do. The kneading hook went on and off like a charm, but I don't use it as often as the paddle beaters.

[Italiancook]

I don't think I'd want to eat bread made from such old yeast, especially yeast in pottery. I'd worry about lead and germs.

[Italiancook]

I couldn't live with an open kitchen. I want guests sitting in the dining room, enjoying conversation and my beautiful tablescape. I don't want them seeing pans on the stove or prep dishes in the sink while they eat. When I'm cooking or baking, I put all the used utensils in one side of the sink and load the dishwasher after the meal.

Having said that, I don't like counter clutter. I keep canisters in the pantry. I have the stand mixer on a counter and don't like it there. It's just too heavy to move from cabinet to counter top. I bought a white cover for it from KitchenAid, and it looks presentable. Plus, the cover keeps the bowl clean. I also have 3 cruets of different types of olive oil on the counter. I tolerate that, because they look nice.

[Italiancook]

Thanks, Mike, for your informative post on this subject!

[Italiancook]

I had this right, because friend zucchini blossoms are in one of my Italian cookbooks.

[Italiancook]

Because Mike posted that the ingredients in a recipe aren't copyrighted, I'm going to give BakerAunt the ingredients for Cole Slaw from my favorite cookbook: Cook-Ahead Cookery.

2 pound head green cabbage
2 carrots
1 green pepper
3 tablespoons vinegar(NOTE: my mom always used apple-cider vinegar in her cole slaw.)
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups Miracle Whip

BakerAunt, my mom always used Miracle Whip in her cole slaw, instead of mayonnaise. There are flavors in Miracle Whip not present in mayonnaise. She also used Miracle Whip in her Kidney Bean Salad. Once I made the bean salad with mayonnaise and had a terrible chemical reaction that changed the color! The note for the vinegar is from my mom. My mom never served cole slaw on the same day she made it. She always made it the day before serving. I don't know if that's really necessary.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

Missed it.

[Italiancook]

Sorry I'm so late responding to this. I chose the right answer. When I make pasta, I never add salt to the water until it starts boiling. The addition of salt at that stage makes the water boil harder. The reason I don't add salt to the water right out the gate is because of an article I read. It said that if you add the salt at the beginning, it will take longer for the salt to boil. Anyone know if this is true & why?

[Italiancook]

I probably should care, but I don't worry about the nutrients in green beans. I like them only one way -- cooked to death. Those kind freeze quite good in the cooking liquid. I have only a pint in the freezer now, so I guess I have to buy beans and cottage ham and make a freezer batch.

[Italiancook]

When I took the quiz, I was certain there were 2 correct answers, so I missed it. I Googled to find that elderberries are poisonous if eaten in large enough quantity. I guess I never ate enough of them, but I did eat elderberries off the bush when I was a kid. They're quite bitter and I only had 1 or 2 a season. But if they're poisonous, why do online vendors sell Elderberry Jelly?

[Italiancook]

According to Wikipedia, focaccia is authenically Italian. Now, I wonder why it's not in any of my cookbooks.

BakerAunt, I like the idea of dimpling the dough sooner. As I recall from the show, that's what Anne Burrell did. She dug her fingers into the dough as she stretched it into the pan, thereby dimpling it.

[Italiancook]

Thanks, BakerAunt, for noticing the blog post for the focaccia recipe. I just read it and some of the reviews. Some reviewers put add-ins into the dough (not the ones suggested in the recipe). Have you ever tried this? Next time, I'll plan to make this for use with Italian deli meat & add some grated garlic.

[Italiancook]

I knew the answer to this and managed to click on the wrong one.

[Italiancook]

Mike, when I tried focaccia from a Frugal Gourmet recipe, the dough was properly made and the finished product was thin. We had never before eaten focaccia, so we didn't know what it looks like. Still haven't had focaccia someone else prepared. I've seen Bobby Flay & Anne Burrell make it on Food Network, and their finished product looks somewhat thin.

The picture in the KAF recipe (link below) makes it look thick, and that has been BakeAunt's experience with it. She's able to slice it in the middle for sandwiches. So I don't know whose focaccia is more authentic -- Flays, Frugal Gourmet, and Burrell, or KAF. I also don't know if focaccia is even authentic Italian or U.S.-borne Italian-America. I have 3 excellent Italian cookbooks written by Italians in English, and none of them mention focaccia.

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/blitz-bread-no-fuss-focaccia-recipe

[Italiancook]

Ah ha! That's where I'm going wrong. The reason I poked all the way to the bottom is that I watched Anne Burrel (Food Network) make focaccia. It sure look like she was making a zillion pokes, going all the way to the bottom. I've never tried her recipe, because it requires a jelly pan, which I don't have and don't want to buy. Next time I make this bread, I'll use your method of just making "a slight indentation." I think that's the key to solving my dilemma. I cut the bread, and it tastes delicious. Thanks for your help, BakerAunt, in bearing with me through these two trys.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Italiancook.

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