Because I’ve been going a little confectionery-crazy lately, Peter decided to let me splurge on a nice mixer to add to my kitchen arsenal. I went with the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer, and let me tell you, this thing is a BEAST. I’ve had a workout just arranging it on the counter and tinkering with it as I read through the instruction manual. It weighs 20 pounds, easy.

I went with the Imperial Black color, which isn’t as glossy as some product images implied, but that’s OK — I like the feel of it, since it’s kinda like a thick powder-coat type paint, and I know that it won’t show smudges or scuffs like the smooth finishes will. It reminds me of a well-used, well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

My first project will be these espresso chocolate chip shortbread cookies that Peter and I have become addicted to. They’re insane. Here’s the blog post on Use Real Butter, which is where I found the recipe, and it links back to the original recipe on Smitten Kitchen. They vary a tiny bit, but the Use Real Butter version/method has worked out amazingly for me. It’ll be extra nice not to have my arms and hands cramp up from mixing them manually!

Seriously, bookmark that recipe. You’ll be making them repeatedly, and in increasing frequency. XD