I got a Cuisinart processor

[eleny]

I've never had a processor before. (Heck, I still don't even have a dishwasher!)

After reading this forum, I decided to go for it. I got the 7-cup model. The first thing I made was guacamole which came out great. Then I practised with the slicer. I had so many veggies that I made the aplit pea soup. I couldn't stop slicing! I can hardly wait to try out the shredder. I'm big on cole slaw. And I won't be buying any more bags of shredded cheese.

Last night, I fixed mashed turnips. I reached for my hand masher and remembered the processor. Those turnips (with potato flakes) came out so smooth. Flavors blend together quickly using this machine.

I always figured that the cleanup would be a hassle. It's turned out to be a snap. And I thought it would be complicated to learn. I watched the video that comes with it and followed the steps. The thing is to get the parts to click into place correctly.

Over the years I think I'm developing a fear of my knives. I wasn't enjoying some of the food prep. With the processor, I'm having fun again.

[Shakespeare]

1. I recently got one, too--they're awesome!

I got it to chop/puree fresh fruit for preserves I made, but have since used it for so many different things. I never ceased to be amazed by how FAST the darn thing is!

[eleny]

2. Preserves!

I love to make strawberry preserves when they're in season. Do you reserve back a few berries to get a preserve with pieces of fruit in it?

Please share your recipe or post a url when you get the chance!

[Shakespeare]

3. This year I made white nectarine preserves, and...

sweet cherry preserves. Two of my MOST favorite fruits, and they turned out great. The white nectarine preserves, especially, are out of this world.

I didn't hold back pieces of fruit, just was very careful when pulsing the processor to make sure there were still some appealing "hunks" of fruit left in. Worked pretty well.

In previous years, I've made mango preserves, pomegranite jelly (very, very good stuff), champagne jelly, and apricot preserves.

I'm not sure what I'll make this summer, but I know I'll definitely do the white nectarine preserves again this year. And probably cherry preserves, too--I have a blast using my cherry pitter, which is one of the best but rarely used kitchen gadgets I've ever bought.

The recipes I used are from the tried-and-true Ball Home Canning guide.

If you don't own that book, get it! It's under $10, I think (I paid $5 for mine years ago, and I'm sure the price has gone up), and is the best resource I've found for canning and preserving fruits and vegetables. And it's got tons of great recipes, even a few exotic things like chutney.

Now I want to go home and toast myself a nice english muffin and smother it in white nectarine preserves. :9

[eleny]

4. Hi and thanks!

White nectarines. Thanks for sending me on a hunt for a new holy grail! They grow lots of fruit in the western half of Colorado but I've never seen a white nectarine. I'll have to find some. Nectarines are among my favorite fruits. No fuzz and all flavor. We do get many varities of apricots and cherries, though.

You make some exotic jellies. Do you make the pom jelly from the juice sold in jars? We have that at the grocery all year long and I've been tempted to buy it and figure out what to do with it later. I can't imagine dealing with the pit removal except using a ricer. And that would be messy. Pom jelly is tempting me.

Thanks for the heads up on the Ball Co.guide.

[Shakespeare]

5. I'd never seen one until I moved to California.

Apparently, we (the U.S.) grow and ship tons of these and, of all weird things, donut peaches, to Japan (where they're just bonkers about them, I suppose).

We get white nectarines and white peaches here from June through August (or well into September, if we're lucky). They're much less acidic than their orange cousins, but loaded with flavor. Words cannot describe how wonderful they taste, and I think I eat my weight in them every summer, along with all the sweet red cherries I can find (another of my favorites that's plentiful in California).

For the pommegranite jelly, I use juice I buy at the farmers' market (I love the juice man--he also sells a cherry juice that's sooo good). I've never tried the kind from the grocery store, but I'd imagine it would work just as well. The jelly has a wonderful astringent quality that makes it feel and taste very light (but intensely flavorful). And it's great to use in sauces and glazes on chicken and pork, as well as--obviously--spread over your bread of choice.

If you're interested, I'll dig around through my recipes at home tonight and try to find the one for pommegranite jelly. It's one that I found on the internet several years ago.

[eleny]

6. I'd appreciate the recipe

Thanks so much for offering. Please don't rush.

I'm going to have to ask around when the seasonal market opens. They get local produce and I bet he can get them if they're grown here. Also, friend of ours has a friend who has an orchard on the western slope. One way or the other, I'm going to track down that nectarine.

Donut peaches sound familiar. I think I may have seen them this past summer. Or maybe this is wishful thinking.

Just did a search for the donut peach and yes, I have seen these. Here's a pic. They were pricey. Have you tried these and are they special?

[fortyfeetunder]

12. Sightings in Washington State

There are some fruit stands in suburban Seattle I frequent where I found a bunch of white nectarines, white peaches and the donut peaches. They were very sweet and tasty. They were in the 1.00-1.50/lb range.

They also had a more interesting item, a sign of "big a$$" peaches. They were big.

[SW FL Dem]

9. I had a white nectarine tree in my backyard in CA

I had never eaten one before and it totally spoiled me. Now I can buy white nectarines (from CA of course) in our grocery store, but they taste like cardboard compared to the ones fresh off the tree.

[NMDemDist2]

7. i had a big one with my ex (it stayed with the kitchen) but my little

Black and Decker 3 cup gets a work out regularly for quanities too large to do with my Mouli grater

I did the taters for the hash browns in it the other night and it was a real time and wrist saver :)

I remember one time making quiche for 40 people, that Cuisnart got a workout grating pounds and pounds of cheese LOL

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I used to think the same thing about the cleanup

but if you discipline yourself and clean it right after use (don't let the food dry in it) clean up is as easy as using it.

[Lugnut]

10. I hope you enjoy it

I have a Kitchen-Aid and I love it.

[fortyfeetunder]

11. Shredding cheese hint and more recipes

Before you shred cheese with your brand spanking new food processor, spray the shredding blade with some non-stick cooking spray. Works like a champ.

Have fun.

If you want to find some classic food processor recipes, look for Abby Mandel's books in the library (I believe they are now out of print). She wrote two books for the Cuisinart about 20 years ago and they are pretty good.

[eleny]

14. Thank you for the two tips

I didn't think to use the spray. I'll be shredding some cheese tonight and will do this.

Also, thanks for the tip on the book. I ordered two of her books through the library. There are also a large number of each available used at Amazon. And I'm going to keep an eye out for them at the thrift shop. Thrifts are good place for cookbooks.

[Ilsa]

13. I got the 11 cup one for Christmas.

The shreader is cool. Instead of five minutes it takes five seconds.

I made a stew and sliced my veggies and chopped some with it. Love it.

[Stepup2]

15. Congratulations!

Once you get the hand of the attachments you will love it. I shred mozerella cheese that I buy from a local farmer, hormone free and really inexpensive, and freeze it in two to three cup portions for homemade pizza.

I use mine to make assorted nut butters too and mayo.

Actually, I use it all the time!

I put mine in the top rack of the dishwasher if it is really yucky.