Sunday 11 November 2012

:: Easy Kitchen KitchenAid Competition ::


A KitchenAid Ultimate Giveaway
:: Megann’s  Kitchen ::

:: KitchenAid products are loved in my kitchen ::

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh! We finally have it, a KitchenAid product to giveaway to Megann’s Kitchen devotees just in time to wrap up & put under the Christmas tree. Megann’s Kitchen has joined forces with Kitchenware Direct in order to bring you this fantastic prize of a KitchenAid Artisan Hand Mixer your personal choice of White, Pink or Black. Can you tell I am excited?

:: the KitchenAid Artisan Hand Mixer to GIVEAWAY ::


No room in your tiny kitchen? Always wanted a quality hand held mixer for Christmas Day preparations? Want to whip a cake together in seconds? This completion is FOR YOU!

:: mixing ingredients together with the KitchenAid for cookies ::


the Competition Sponsor
Welcome to another Megann’s Kitchen’s ultimate giveaway from my Easy Kitchen. Kitchenware Direct has kindly provided us with some products from Easy Kitchen’s featured post of the KitchenAid Artisan Rangehttp://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/search?q=KitchenAid. Click through Kitchenware Direct to find some great KitchenAid products on their web site at a fantastic price, plus read the Megann's Kitchen review here.


My personal Giveaway criteria
The products that I offer as giveaways have been generously contributed by a participating company that meet strict Megann’s Kitchen criteria. These aren’t just any products, no no! These ultimate kitchen giveaway pieces are by brands that are currently used & loved in my kitchen. I simply want to pass on to you what I believe every kitchen should have.

How to Enter…
Simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post or the Megann’s Kitchen Facebook page answering this simple question- in approximately 25 words or less:

:: one of the potential colour choices to win ::


“How would a KitchenAid Artisan Hand Mixer help make your life in your kitchen easier?”

Like this competition? Don’t forget to sign up to join both Megann’s Kitchen blog site & Facebook page for more chances to WIN. Not to mention find out about future fantastic giveaways! See right of screen.

Terms & Conditions
    There is one amazing chance to win: KitchenWare Direct has provided us with one KitchenAid Artisan KHM720 Hand mixer, colour of YOUR CHOICE (white, pink or black)! Thank you.
    The competition commences 11:59pm A.E.D.S.T on Friday 9th November 2012. Entries close 11.59pm A.E.D.S.T on Wednesday 12th December, 2012 – just in time for Christmas postage to your door!
    Good NEWS! You can enter as many times as you like through commenting on this post or the Megann’s Kitchen Facebook Page.
    Each individual entry will be judged based on literary and creative merit, then placed into a draw of 10 finalists. The winning entry will be extracted from a draw of 10 finalists, based on chance.
    Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable & cannot be taken as cash.
    The total RRP of the prize is AU $119.95
    Winners will be announced on Megann’s Kitchen blog site & Facebook page. Keep on clicking in to see if you are a winner!
    Due to the Australian power outlet compatibility, the competition is open to AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY, sorry.

:: you too can create fluffy egg whites with your hand mixer ::

Thank you for entering... & good luck!

Please Note: this is not a paid endorsement – Megann’s Kitchen personally sources & only “promotes” products that are dearly loved, tried & tested over many uses in the kitchen. It’s all about pure joy & sharing my kitchen with you.



and the WINNER is....
The winner of the Megann's Kitchen Hand Held Artisan KitchenAid Comptetion is... Mandy Lung! Congratulations! A well deserved winner with many brilliant entries, your colour choice from Kitchenware Direct awaits.  Please email megannskitchen@gmail.com with your details & colour preference & hopefully KWD dispatch can get it to you by Christmas :) 

Saturday 10 November 2012

:: Easy Kitchen - KitchenAid Artisan Mixer ::


Hopelessly Devoted to KitchenAid
:: Megann’s  Kitchen ::

:: making cakes with my KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer ::


It is no secret that in my kitchen I love, love, love my KitchenAid products. Why, you ask? They are just simply stunning pieces to own in your kitchen, dressing the bench top with style & class. They work fabulously with force & gusto. Their engines are built for a great deal of home cooking/small time industrial use, so using them every day is their forte. They make cooking, for me, so easy & an absolute joy.
:: making fruit ice-cream with my KitchenAid Artisan Food Processor ::

I have both a KitchenAid Artisan Food Processor & a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer that sit proudly in my kitchen & use them both up to 4 times a week. The KitchenAid brand is top of the domestic line & worth every cent. When I sold my car, I decided to swap one engine for another & bought my gorgeous Food Processor. After burning out 3 “cheaper” hand held mixers in one year, the Artisan Stand Mixer was a complete surprise from my husband for my 30th birthday. My beloved family & friends pitched in a few dollars to make a long-time kitchen dream a reality. Thanks guys!
I can only feature one Easy Kitchen product at a time, so I thought that I would highlight the ever so desirable KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer which I now consider part of the MK family. I just don’t know how I survived without if for all those years!

:: the basic start of pink macarons in the KitchenAid ::

The low down
Pros
:: Easy to use – my son & I do baking together using the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer all the time. He loves making the machine go faster/slower to easily mix in the ingredients.
:: Easy to clean – I can pop the metal bowl in the dishwasher as well as the mixer (not the whisk) attachment for an easy clean.
:: The die cast metal mixer looks fabulous on the bench top coming in many highly desirable colours.
:: It comes with a whisk for whipping, a dough hook for kneading & a beater for batter.
:: The KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer also comes with many additional kitchen accessories & attachments for purchase, such as a food grinder/mincer & ice-cream bowl.
:: One of the best qualities for me is that the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer is great for anyone with upper limb or back pain, as it reduces the amount of strain on the muscles & bones.
Cons
:: Creating so many tasty home made treats might also require some washing up!
:: It is heavy – but the sleek & gorgeous design allows you to keep it as a kitchen feature on the bench top.
How to use
:: Attach your mixing bowl & desired mixing piece to the stand, place ingredients into the bowl & turn to a designated speed.
:: Hand wash in warm, soapy water or add into your next dishwasher load.
Notes
:: I’ve got to say that the follow up customer service that I have personally received from Peter McInnes, Australia, has been outstanding. Every time I have called this company, they have found a simple solution for me. If anything goes wrong – let’s face it, that’s life – have comfort that KitchenAid & Peter McInnes are on your side, working with you in the kitchen.

:: my favourite chocolate Chip Cookies in the KitchenAid ::

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Details
Construction: Die cast metal

Controls: 10 speed solid state

Capacity: 4.8 litres

Dimensions: 36.5 x 36 x 25 (cm)

Weight: 11 kg
 Motor power: 300 watts
Voltage: 220-240 V
Hertz: 50-60 Hz

RPM: 58-220 (speed 1-10)

Warranty: 3 month replacement, 5 year parts and labour for defects
Purchase: Through your local Kitchen Store or KitchenWare Direct

I have to say, both my KitchenAid products were purchased through KitchenWare Direct Australia, delivered for FREE straight to my door. Fantastic!


Please Note: this is not a paid endorsement – Megann’s Kitchen personally sources & only “promotes” products that are dearly loved, tried & tested over many uses in the kitchen. It’s all about pure joy & sharing my kitchen with you.

:: whipping egg whites with ease is now a dream come true::

Extract from Easy Kitchen
“I have to say there are some items & products in my kitchen I simply couldn’t live without. I have recently suffered terribly from radial nerve palsy where I temporarily lost full movement & use of my left hand, tendonitis in both arms & hands plus also acquired calcium deposits in both shoulders. Yes, it has made my love of cooking & life a challenge at times but I now understand the importance of good tools in the kitchen. Items that are not only fast for someone that is time poor, but are easy to use for someone in pain & having limited function. There are some that I rate highly in efficiency & quality and believe that they could give every kitchen a helping hand. I am going to bring a few essential items to you under a title Easy Kitchen. It is aimed at products in the kitchen that make my life just that little bit easier, & hopefully yours too. They are a few items that I believe help a kitchen to work like a dream, so please enjoy my Easy Kitchen”.
Megann



Tuesday 6 November 2012

:: Best Ever Brownies ::


Triple Chocolate Nutella Brownies
:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: triple chocolate nutella brownies with an easy salted caramel sauce ::

For some reason, I have always felt a special connection to brownies. It’s as if every time I make the soft & fudgy chocolaty delight, it somehow makes me a little bit more American - making me closer to my mother's Southern Kentucky roots. Silly, I know, but I feel so proud when I make a traditional American dish – feeling my ancestors smile down on me from above.

These brownies are not from my grandmother’s traditional recipe bank, as hers are more cake-like consistency & my mother has told me that back in the day my version of brownies would be considered “under-cooked”. However, times have changed & the delicious fudgy goodness of this recipe will help put a delectable smile on any Americans face. Originally inspired by a taste.com.au recipe, I have altered it to make it my very own. With the addition of Nutella to the chocolate mixture then finishing it off with half dark chocolate/half white chocolate chunks, this has made them into triple chocolate brownies! My husband loves them, my toddler loves them & everyone at work loved them. A co-worker of mine even went as far as to say that they were the best brownies she had ever tasted! Well, I might just have to agree…

chocolate batter
180g butter, cubed
200g dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
¾ cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
¾ cup plain flour, sifted

brownie features
3 heaped Tbs Nutella (chocolate & hazelnut spread)
100g white cooking chocolate, chopped into large chunks
100g dark cooking chocolate, chopped into large chunks

:: mixing through chocolate goodness ::

Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare an 18cm sharp edged square cake tin by greasing & lining with parchment paper. Place the broken chocolate & butter in a heatproof bowl. Position the bowl over a saucepan containing water (creating a double boiler) on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is completely smooth. Remove from the heat & place on the bench top to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, & flour in a mixing bowl & stir until just combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture, stir, then add the Nutella, white & dark chocolate chunks & mix well. Pour the mixture into prepared tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes; keep in mind that they are meant to be soft & fudgy in the middle. Cool completely in the baking tin then place into the fridge to set. Cut into desired sizes & serve!

optional extra: easy salted caramel sauce (see below)

:: super easy salted caramel sauce ::

easy salted caramel sauce (optional)
60g unsalted butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
150ml thickened cream
½ tsp sea salt flakes (I like Murray River Pink Salt)
            + plus some extra to sprinkle on top

Gently melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar & stir until sugar has just melted. Then add the vanilla bean paste & carefully add the cream in small amounts so that the sugar doesn’t seize. Add sea salt to taste. Set aside in the saucepan until serving time.


:: the perfect brownie feature - chocolate chunks ::

Kitchen Notes
:: You can add/swap the brownie features to create your own individual brownies, these might include- 100g toasted hazelnuts, 100g macadamias, 100g craisins, 100g broken Marie biscuits, etc. Just make sure your “features” total 200 grams. Use your imagination as the list is endless!
:: Don’t add the chocolate chunks or eggs to a hot chocolate mixture. It can cause the chocolate chunks to melt into the batter or the eggs to scramble.
:: You can easily make brownie muffins – spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins lined with feature paper muffin patties. Cook for 18-20 minutes & cool. Spoon a small amount of salted caramel on top & chill. Once chilled, sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Perfect to impress for a picnic or day out!
:: The salted caramel sauce is my go to for any dessert dish – anything from sticky date puddings to ice cream. Be careful not to let the caramel bubble too much on the stovetop. It may thicken too much & become like a chewy toffee or crystallise, rather than a smooth sauce.
:: If you like a creamier caramel, simply add more cream.
:: To eat: Cold Brownies straight from the fridge in Summer, ah-mazing!

:: tucking in to delicious, fudge like brownies with a chocolate crunch ::

Style
:: When serving, pour the salted caramel over the top of the brownies in front of your guests for a “WOW!” effect. Finish off with a sprinkle of sea salt, roughly broken nuts & a spoonful of double cream.




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