It’s a new year: make that new resolution to actually use the things in your kitchen! Here are my top 5 favorite KitchenAid mixer attachments – so you can make that mixer work for you!

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It’s a new year, and you’ve got lots of resolutions. Don’t we all? I know the feeling! The hubby and I started a new ritual this year. Okay it’s not so much a ritual as it is planning for the future – which we should all be doing somewhat, amiright? We both have plans to lose weight and make our family healthier: puppies and all!

I want to eat healthier and smarter, while still maximizing our budget at the grocery store with my meal planning tips! I want to walk the dogs more often so they don’t get left out of this lifestyle rehaul, and I want to reorganize our lives so we can achieve these goals. One way is to save time, and maximizing our use of the tools we already have in order to do so sounds like a win-win in my book!

I cannot agree less, however, that my kitchen must be arranged to keep me interested in cooking. And, when I have to cook every day, it is all the more necessary. We have, nevertheless, given considerable thought to the design of our kitchen cabinets, the countertops, and the sinks so that the cooking, as well as cleaning, are both taken care of, without much fuss. If you too want a smoother cooking experience and are struggling with the present layout of your kitchen, it is time you think of a renovation. But, if you do not have much idea of how to start, you could take some professional help (learn more here) and get the job done. Once you have your dream kitchen, cooking would be all fun and play. There are so many different styles that you can choose from which will make your kitchen look and feel like your perfect place to cook and eat. If you do choose to renovate, you may want to check out different styles with your renovator, like what type of kitchen tile from Standard Tile you would like or the design of your countertops, etc. The choice is all yours and it will be a fun experience.

In that dream kitchen, you would definitely want to try new dishes experimenting with all the different gadgets. So, without any further adieu, I invite you to maximize your use of everyone’s favorite kitchen tool: the KitchenAid mixer! This workhouse isn’t just for whipping up a batch of your favorite cookies anymore. I’ve found so many incredible ways to use the various attachments for this mixer, allowing me to make wholesome homemade foods that are much healthier than the store-bought preservative-filled alternatives. Below I’ve listed my top five recommended attachments (plus a “not-so-healthy” honorable mention below, of course 🙂 ). Enjoy!

1. KitchenAid Wire Whip Attachment

First up, we have a classic staple of any KitchenAid household: the wire whisk attachment! Perfect for whipping up creams of all sorts, this is my go-to product for simple, tasty at-home whipped cream that works every time. I’m one of those people who cannot get behind whipped cream from a can or a tub – they are filled with preservatives (and taste like it too.) For me it’s only ever been about the homemade whipped cream! Nothing beats that fluffy, just-beaten texture. With the wire whisk attachment you can have that for yourself in just about… 5 minutes! Check out some recipes where I’ve used the homemade whipped cream here:

• Quick Strawberry Shortcake S’Mores
• Mini Chocolate Cakes
• Caramelized Pineapple Pound Cake

Note that you should be sure the wire whisk attachment that you purchase fits your model, as there is also this wire whisk attachment that is for tilt-head model mixers. Just double check before purchasing!

2. KitchenAid Pasta Roller Attachment

Is there anything better than fresh homemade pasta? (FYI, there is only one answer: no.) When I was in high school, my family went on spring break vacation to Italy. It was one of the most amazing times, and I remember so many of our delicious meals like they were yesterday: small tea sandwiches with espressos at a small corner cafe in Venice, charcuterie boards overflowing with the freshest meats and cheeses, and of course all of that hand rolled pasta and ravioli! When we returned home, my aunt and uncle gifted a pasta roller to my parents and a couple of years passed before I set myself to learning how to make pasta from scratch. All I can say is that a hand cranked pasta roller is a workout. Like a serious arm workout, you guys. I am all for a good arm workout, but doing it while sweating over a sheet of fresh pasta is not ideal! So do yourselves a favor and purchase a pasta roller attachment for your mixer! If you are a lover of fresh homemade pasta, this attachment is a must: it cuts the time down so much on making homemade pasta!

If you prefer to make mostly ravioli or use a knife to cut your own pasta noodles, check out this link for only the pasta roller without cutter attachments.

Check out some of my homemade pasta recipes here:

• White Shredded Chicken Lasagna
• Beef Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce
• Roasted Beet and Pancetta Agnolotti

3. KitchenAid Pasta Extruded Attachment

If you prefer shaped pastas to ravioli or lasagna sheets, try this pasta extruder attachment instead! This is a great add-on. In addition to making spaghetti and bucatini (my fave!), you can make small pastas such as macaroni, fusilli, and rigatoni. Now you can have all the varieties of pasta made right in your home, from that macaroni viral recipe you’ve been wanting to try, to the age-old family pasta recipe. How cool! While restaurant pasta can be fun once a while, nothing beats the charm of a lovely, homemade pasta. I’m sure a lot of you can agree with me on this one, so check out some recipes here:

• Roasted Eggplant Stuffed with Spaghetti
• Creamy Kale Pesto with Bucatini and Prosciutto
• Lemon Oregano Chicken Pasta

4. KitchenAid Food Grinder Attachment

With the exception of artisan sausages, we don’t buy ground meat anymore. It taste so much fresher and is so much easier to control the amount of fat that goes into your meat when you grind it yourself at home! Not to mention it is cheaper and you can even choose your texture. The KitchenAid food grinder attachment is the perfect accessory for this task, and all but two of the pieces are dishwasher safe. Easy clean up for the win! Here are some recipes to try:

• Spicy Pork Chorizo Noodles
• Goat Cheese Stuffed Burgers
• Lamb Tacos with Carrot Slaw and Cilantro Pesto

5. KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment with Peel, Core, and Slice

This was one of my favorite gifts from our wedding registry: a spiralizer! Now I can finally make all those zoodle, swoodle, recipes all over Pinterest! 😀 But this device does double duty as an apple peeler, corer and slicer also, perfect for those fall months that are filled with all sorts of apple-related baking!

Recipes for mention:

• Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Pesto and Zucchini Noodles
• Creamy Spinach Sweet Potato Noodles

Honorable Mention: KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment

So I know I gave my “we are going to start eating healthy this year!” spiel up there, but this post would not be complete without talking about the ice cream maker attachment as an honorable mention! This doesn’t have to be a totally unhealthy addition to your attachment collection, though, as you can make all sorts of healthy sorbets too!

• How to Make Sorbet with Any Fruit
• Coconut Coffee Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Banana Ice Cream

Now it’s your turn: which KitchenAid attachment is your favorite? Comment below and let me know – and let me know if I left off any of your “must have” KitchenAid attachments from your collection!