As a slightly early birthday gift this year, the hubby got me a KitchenAid Artisan Design 5-Quart Stand Mixer!!! I have been pining after one of these for as long as I can remember…. Virtually all of my girlfriends who are serious about baking and/or cooking has one of these. I’ve drooled over them when I saw them in their kitchens, and would turn green with envy every time one of them told me that their boyfriend or husband got them one. I’ve always seen coming into possession of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer as sort of a rite of passage to becoming a domestic goddess. It’s been on my wish list for forever, but Dan had always said it was too expensive or that we didn’t have enough room in our kitchen to have one. But I guess he changed his mind this year, because he presented me with this gorgeous beauty in Candy Apple!

KitchenAid Artisan Design Stand Mixer in Candy Apple

It was love at first sight. Dan chose the perfect color, too… the shiny, deep red is a limited edition that celebrates KitchenAid’s 90th Anniversary and is coated with a premium metallic finish and comes with an elegant glass bowl. Thank you hubby ♥

The KitchenAid is so much more than just a mixer, and I’m looking forward to using it for not only baking purposes but for vegetable slicing, food grinding, juicing fruits, and perhaps someday even making fresh pasta, stuffing sausages, and making ice cream with the attachments! I’ve always heard that it’s the best investment you can get for cooking and baking, and that it will last you a lifetime. I know that it’s going to be my new best friend in the kitchen, and a reliable, powerful companion for decades to come. After using a cheap hand mixer for years, I’m finally moving onto the big leagues!