Luv those Kitchen Aid

[bobbins]

Well, over Christmas I broke down and bought my Kitchen Aid Ravioli’s maker attachment (through E-Bay). For years I have been making my mom’s Italian family homemade meat/cheese Ravioli’s recipe by hand and tried many other gadgets. This attachment does the trick and works well – still a bit of fussing! The hopper and press (all made in Italy!!). Oh yeah, I have a thing these days with Kitchen-Aid Oh those memories, pressing my ear against my uncles 1950’s Hobart Kitchen-Aid (model with the cast spray arm)…such power and thrust of water splashing! Even to this day I when I see a model in a junk yard – I get a bit too excited!

I have attached a photo of my newly renovated suite – I decided to go with Kitchen-Aid. The design turned out great and my partner and I decided to live in the suite for a couple of years – heck why let the tenants enjoy my Kitchen Aid Fantasy world!

Bob

 

[bobbins]

Oh yeah here is my kitchen - not messed up

 

[washoholic]

Beautiful kitchen, Bob! The bright color on the walls with the light molding and under counter lighting is inviting. It looks like there is recessed lighting in the ceiling (I can see a reflection in the stunning black counter tops, are those tile?).

I love the one “see through” cabinet, wood floors, and is that a Lazy Susan hidden behind the doors of the corner cabinet?

Not to mention the wonderful Kitchen Aid range, dishwasher, and mixer.

It sounds like you like the Ravioli’s maker attachment. My partner and I have the pasta maker and meat grinder attachments and he likes them.

Italian cooking sure does make a mess, but it’s well worth it. When he makes Veal Parmesan; it looks like a tornado hit our kitchen. It looks like your kitchen is easy to clean and that’s a nice feature, too.

Jeff

 

[bobbins]

Good Eye!!

I have bought every attachment that man can buy for a Kitchen Aid mixer. This model is a 525 watt (my 3 one!!), 6 qt c/w with shredder, pasta rollers, food processor, juicer, meat stuffer, etc. I also own a commercial bread maker (not sure of the brand) This mixer can knead up to 12 loaves - 1/8 hp motor!!....I usually make 5 loaves a week.

My range is a KA convection smooth top...the best oven I ever owned...after owning it for about 2 months, I found out the drawer on the bottom is a warming drawer (great feature). I also bought two Kitchen Aid dishwashers form the Sears Clearance Warehouse (great deals for last year models)...one for my rental suite and the other for my residence...not sure which one to keep..I keep switching them back and forth..

The washer and dryer I bought are the new 24" Whirlpool(European made models??)..I am not sure who actually makes it. I was told the washer was made in Italy and the drawer in USA?? The dryer is reverses and separate 1/2 hp motor for the blower.

The fridge is a 36" GE SXS..I decided not to go with the Kitchen Aid (savings of $2000!) I really didn't see the added value.

 

[bobbins]

Here is the start of my reno job..

 

[bobbins]

Kitchen before - old 1950's (cabinets falling apart..rotting)

 

[washoholic]

WOW, I love your washer and dryer, Bob, and that’s a nice sink! I didn’t know that the dryer reversed directions, so does the Danby dryer.

We have the 300 watt Kitchen Aid Mixer w/o the fancy crank to raise and lower the bowl. It’s white w/ a red stripe and I think it’s from 1998. The little black knobs on the lock to hold it in place while mixing and the one on the attachment adjuster broke off long ago, but the one on the speed control is still there, but it still works like it’s brand new. My partner uses it a lot. He is going to school at the Texas Culinary Academy and studying to be a chef.

The Sears Clearance Center is AWESOME! We used it often when we lived in Virginia Beach, VA (It’s in Richmond). We are remodeling our kitchen here in Austin, TX, but the store is in San Antonio, TX, so we have bought a few items on clearance from Best Buy (LG dishwasher), local Sears (last year’s GE Ref.), Giant Appliance Clearance Warehouse (GE smooth-top Range w/ convection and warming drawer/second oven). It pays to buy SMART, and it sounds like you know that, Bob.

We decided to refinish our cabinets and change the hardware. It’s more work, but a real money saver.

Your kitchen is AWESOME, what a transformation! Thanks for posting the pictures. Do you have any pictures of your refrigerator?

I traveled back and forth to Winnipeg, MT (Friendly Manitoba) for work a month at a time a few years ago, but I’ve never seen B.C. What’s the temperature there? Are you Canadian?

Jeff

Here is a before picture.

 

[washoholic]

And we are still working, but here is a picture of the new appliances. We’re still working on the counter tops and cabinets.

 

[petek]

Nice job Bob. We left our KA stove back in Calgary when we moved in August and I miss the convection feature bigtime for breadmaking. And the probe.. you can hardly find an oven now with a probe but I used it everytime I roasted something.. Now I'm stuck with a fairly basic Kenmore EZ clean until we figure out what we're doing in this place..

 

[frigilux]

Great renovations, guys.

Bobbins, I envy the tenant who's going to live in that fantastic suite! You really maximized useful features in the kitchen.

 

[exploder3211]

Ughhh.. I have gotten so spoilied witht he convection feature on my frigidaire wall oven, how could I go back? I love both kitchens guys...

How does the LG dishwasher work? I would a tad lery of it thanks to Petski's post in the other fourm...

But i like the lay out and i love the light fixture..

Bob-
I love you're countors what are they made of? You too have a beautiful kitchen... What became of the Maytag portable dishwasher??

 

[58limited]

Hey Bob

Love the layout, looks very user friendly. Would you be willing to share the ravioli recipe, or is it a family secret?

David

 

[bobbins]

Good job Jeff!!

I lucked out after buying our house, we saw a floor demo kitchen on clearance for 1/2 price. So my partner and I decided to buy it. Fortunately I was able to buy extra cabinets to match.

The countertops are solid black granite tiles. I wanted to use granite and the doing it in tiles was fractional of the cost of granite slab. ($550 vs. $6500) (Granite is more durable, low maintenance and looks sharp for years – great resale value)...but next time I wont use black – shows all the dirt, streaks, etc.

The washer and dryer are great...I have already taken the dryer apart - trying to figure out the reversing thing and it was squeaking (the drum rubs against rubber) it appeared the rubber lube dried out and the SS rubs against rubber seal – making a high pitch squealing noise. I bought some High Temp Grease...seem to do the trick then, but now I noticed it is doing thing again….probably a design flaw? My partner finds it entertaining that I have our appliances in pieces every now and then…

Below is a picture of our fridge...this monster was too huge for our kitchen, so I built it in our extra closet

Here in BC the weather is quite mild compared to the rest of Canada. We (in Victoria) are about the same lat. as Seattle WA. Victoria is located on an island off of the coast of Vancouver BC. Population of Victoria is about 320,000 and 800,000 for the whole island. Although this year we have been hit bad weather (gale force winds and heavy rain and some snow). They still say that Victoria is the Canada Florida destination! Many people (including Americans) invest here for their retirement and summer homes – great skiing up the island too. Rest of BC is really beautiful, lots of forest, lakes (summer time in the interior there are cherries, peaches, pears, and wine). Vancouver is beautiful - lots of culture and diversity.

Bob

 

[appnut]

Jeff, please tell me you didn't throw that beautiful old GE range away!!!! That was a classic one!!

 

[washoholic]

Bobbins-Bob, WOW, that thing is so big, I’m surprised you got it through the door! It looks great, and like it was born to be in that closet.

Appnut-Bob, oh course I didn’t just throw that old beauty away. The Giant Appliance Guys took her to the clearance store and sold her to a new family. They sell vintage stoves as well as scratch and dent appliances.

 

[appnut]

Whew, glad to hear it. If my capinets were such tat that range could be slid in, I'd have jumped on it in a new york minit. Thre's been a few of these types of ranges put in homes in my subdivision, ones built from the 1970s to the arly 1980s.

 

[gansky1]

Nice work on the kitchen remodels - and the ravioli!

 

[bobbins]

Thank you! I can't wait to move upstairs and rennovate the other kitchen...so far for upstairs we bought a Kitchen-Aid double Convection, cooktop and dishwasher...not sure what we will do about the fridge. The laundry may be Bosch undercounter washer and dryer..I am not sure how good they are (they are cheaper then Miele)..However the 24" Whirlpool compacts are working great.

The GE fridge took couple of strong beefy guys to lift it in. It is there to stay. I moved the closet door to the side, providing access to the back of the fridge (appliance repairman dream) also great pantry space.

Bob

 

[pushtorelease]

nice reno Bob! What neighbourhood are you in?