Uses for Your Blender

Many of us have a blender that is gathering dust, or we've thought about getting a blender, but haven't made the investment yet, because we are worried that it will not get enough use to warrant the expense. There are many, many uses for a blender, some you may not have thought of, so let's examine these uses, then you can make the decision of whether your blender can be a kitchen staple, instead of a once in a blue moon appliance.

Blender Uses:

1. Puree foods (soft or cooked foods work best)
2. Cream soup (putting soups in a blender give them a velvety cream texture)
3. Make milk shakes (2 simple ingredients, ice cream and milk)
4. Smooth gravy (great way to avoid lumps in your gravy)
5. Blend eggs to scramble or make an omelet (blending eggs adds air to the eggs which makes them fluffy)
6. Mix salad dressings (this ensures all the spices, etc. are evenly mixed for the best flavor)
7. Make eggnog (a lower powered blender is recommended for eggnog so that it doesn't heat and start to cook the egg)
8. Make homemade baby food (most of these foods should be cooked previously, do a little research on making your own baby food for recipes and tips)
9. Blend cream pie fillings and custards 
10. Puree fruit for use in dishes or just as a nice snack
11. Blend frozen concentrated juices 
12. Create other blended beverages
13. Grate Cheese (slice into small blocks and blend)
14. Blend pancake or waffle batter
15. Blend instant puddings
16. Chop nuts 
17. Make Salsa (great if you prefer a finer salsa vs. chunky)  
18. Use it to create bread, cracker or cookie crumbs if needed as ingredients in recipes.

How to Use a Toaster Oven

Many people think of toaster ovens as just being used to reheat foods that do not reheat well in the microwave. But a toaster oven can be used for much more than just that, and especially during a time of the year when there are dinner parties and get togethers, the toaster oven can be a great help when your regular oven is being overworked, or just doesn't have any more room in it.

So what are some extra uses for your toaster oven?

• Reheat dishes of food that have cooled off while waiting on guests to arrive.
• Toast nuts.
• Make small batches of cookies, cupcakes, or small cakes.
• Cook side dishes while your main dish is heating up in your oven.
• Fix a quick snack.
• Melt cheese or marshmallows on top of dishes.
• Keep a plate of food warm for a late guest.
• And of course, make toast.

What are some of your favorite uses for the toaster oven that save you time?