Mixing it up

All day I meant to go to the movies, read, leave the house...something. Instead, I stayed home, watched tv, listened to the radio, made beef stew and attempted to coat the kitchen in coffee butter cream frosting.

The stew has been on the agenda since last week. I realized that it takes a couple of hours to cook so I got it started this afternoon and I never made it out of the house.

While the stew was stewing, it occurred to me that I could get a start on the cupcakes I'm planning to make next weekend. I could make the frosting now because it will hold for a week in the fridge. The problem with my plan was that I don't have a proper mixer. A standing mixer is ideal for this task, and I've always wanted one, but not having too much use for it I've never bought one. It's also an item firmly associated in my mind with a wedding registry. That's right, I've been waiting until I get married (something that is looking ever more doubtful) to get a standing mixer. What is wrong with me?



Not only do I not have a standing mixer, I don't even have a good quality hand mixer.



What I do have is a "stick" or "wand" mixer. Which I used, messily, to make the frosting.



The bottom part, which I fitted with a whisk attachment, kept coming detached from the top part. I think I fried the motor, too, by challenging it with the stiff butter. Finally, after I incorporated all of the sugar with the butter, added the coffee and the milk and the mix softened enough to actually be moved by the tiny mixer--the bottom flew off the top mid-mix. Gobs of not-quite-blended frosting flew all over the kitchen: the recipe stand, the floor, my hair, the sink. I decided it was time to stop. I cleaned up what I could, ate what seemed untainted by cat hair and sealed the bowl and put it in the fridge.

I need to buy or borrow a strong hand or standing mixer by next weekend so I can make the second batch of frosting. Not to mention all that cupcake batter, which would be so much easier to do in a mixer.

Perhaps a trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond is in order.

Last, I appear to be in a non-dating relationship with Kansas. One might call it a "friendship." Or not. I'm not sure the Boyfriend Advisory System applies, but if it does, I'm dropping the threat level to Guarded.

**UPDATE** Guess who is getting a hand mixer for her birthday? An unexpected benefit of Mom reading the blog....

Grateful for: cooking fun.

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