Use Your Blender For More Than Smoothies

By Chris H.

It is not uncommon for many households to have a blender sitting on the kitchen counter. The blender is one of the primary kitchen appliances to have. Some households even have two blenders - a regular sized blender and a hand held blender. What most people don't realize is that a blender can be used for more than just mixing drinks or blending smoothies. You can utilize your blender to help with every day cooking. It is like an extra helping hand that you have been under utilizing.

Chopping vegetables is a breeze with a blender. If you already have it sitting on your counter, you may as well put it to good use and speed up your cooking time. Place your vegetables in the blender and pulse with quick short bursts until you've reached the desired size. You can do the same for chopped nuts, cheese, or bread for bread crumbs. Many people don't like to use their blenders for quick chopping because they feel like it is extra work to clean it afterwards. If you think about it, a typical sized blender takes no longer to clean than a medium sized pot or pan. In fact, it is probably much easier to clean than some of the other kitchen appliances that you use.

Besides using the blender for chopping dried foods, you can also use it for your baking recipes as well. Try blending together your butter and eggs for your next cake or cookie recipe. You can also create mouth-watering sauces in a blender and delicious salad dressings. You can tune into any popular cooking show and watch professional chefs use their blenders all the time for sauces and dressings. Soups are another great way to use your blender. You can whip up cold soups and soup ingredients for hot versions. Once you begin incorporating your blender into regular use, you may realize other uses for it that will speed up the cooking process.

Mixed drinks and smoothies will always be a favorite use for a blender and with good reason. Some drinks just can't be blended any other way. A blender is always on hand at parties and for tail-gating. The great thing now a days is that you can purchase cordless blenders for travel. These types of blenders are great for RV's or for partying in a place like a Las Vegas hotel room. Blenders are also useful for health conscious individuals who use them often for blending their daily protein shakes.

Blenders also last for years if you purchase a top brand. I know some people who still have Oster brand blenders from the 70's! Other top brand blenders include Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, and Hamilton Beach. Blenders range in price and a good quality blender will be worth it as you may not need to replace it for years to come. You will definitely get your money's worth out of a top brand blender. I usually don't skimp when I purchase kitchen appliances as I don't want to have to end up replacing them after a few months. Start using your blender for more than smoothies and you will see what you were missing out on.

Nearly every household has no less than one frying pan. It is a traditional cooking item that has helped a number of families to create any number of meals right through times gone by. In fact this handy necessity of the culinary world has been available for quite some time. Even those who claim that they can’t boil water have explored into creating interesting culinary dishes by using a frying pan.

On the other hand, the cooking item is not quite as simple as it may seem. It is important to know that there are different types of this frying pan and each require different care when in use as well as when it is being cleaned. A number of cooks have received hard-earned lessons by unintentionally misusing this item.

For those who are unaware, mistreating your frying pan can often wreak havoc on the meal and on the cooking instrument itself. However the mistreatment is frequently done out of lack of knowledge rather than lack of caring. I personally speak of this with seemingly unrealistic passion but I was a cook who learned a hard lesson. And the fact that I thought I was doing something very nice.

The frying pan can be made out of numerous different materials. Each material requires different care and maintenance. As a general rule, keep in mind what works for one kind of frying pan will not work for another. Thus it is very essential to follow some general rules for the various types of frying pans that you own.

Of all, one of the most attractive materials that can be found in cookware is copper.

A copper frying pan is not only able to endure some punishment but is an excellent conductor of heat. A lot of people like to display their copper cookware by hanging them on a rack. Nevertheless, copper tends to tarnish so be prepared to polish them time and again.

The other two materials are aluminum and stainless steel which are durable metals and that also conduct heat very well. A frying pan made out of either of these metals will require little maintenance. Frankly speaking, I love these metals for cookware but I have noticed that food tends to stick to the surface quite easily if not properly greased. In order to tackle this problem, manufacturers created a non-stick coating known as Teflon to solve sticking problems. Though this coating does wonders for the sticking situation, it can also peel off after extensive use.

Peeling often occurs as a result of overheating. This is not a favorite of mine.

In all my experiences with the frying pan, my personal favorite is the traditional cast iron frying pan. What I simply love about my cast iron frying pan is that it gets better with age. I recently discovered that this material will rust if washed too much by ruining an antique one that belonged to my husband. At present, I merely wipe mine with a paper towel after each use. Undoubtedly this classic frying pan is a true favorite among seasoned cooks.