My stick blender arrived - just made lentil soup

[Blues Heron]

It's Cuisinart stainless steel model. Wow that thing is powerful. blended 10 cups of lentil soup in about 20 seconds. Got it from sur la table with a christmas present gift certificate. Next up - potato soup!

What do you use your immersion blender for? Would love suggestions!

:)

[cbayer]

1. I use it mostly for soups and love it.

I just have a cheap plastic one, but it works great.

I also use it for salad dressings, crepe batter, marinades and smoothies. Easy to clean and store and takes very little electricity.

Enjoy!

:hi:

[Warpy]

2. I like making shakes and smoothies right in the glass

I also like mincing ginger and garlic in a plastic baggie and sauces and dressings right in the glass jar they'll be stored in.

Anything you can stuff that stick into can become a blender container.

[Denninmi]

3. Quite useful.

I have several of them. My favorite is a Braun. It came with various attachments, including a small food chopper and a cream whipper/eggwhite beater attachment.

[Phentex]

4. whipping cream, dips...

like the others said: salad dressings, shakes, and soups. Those are the main things I use it for.

Enjoy! :)

[Blues Heron]

5. Thanks everybody

I think this thing is going to be quite useful!

[kestrel91316]

6. I got one for Christmas - haven't used it yet, but I find great comfort just in

knowing I HAVE IT. lol

[Callalily]

7. I've had one for several

years, and just love it. And yes, it's great for those pureed soups, and of course smoothies as mentioned above.

Happy cooking!

[furgee]

8. Instant pudding - couldn't be faster.

[noamnety]

9. I want a stainless one.

My piece of crap one has done me well, I loved it when I got it, but it's starting to burn out and the insides are rusting due to a design flaw.

One thing I didn't see mentioned already was super quick homemade mayo. If you dump all the ingredients at once into a tall glass (I use the cup for steaming milk for espresso), you can mix it from the bottom up with the stick blender without that nonsense of having to drizzle in the oil superslow like when you use a food processor. Because the egg sinks, it gets mixed first - the density of the layers just works.

[Blues Heron]

10. Great idea - haven't made mayo in years.

I saw this technique a while ago on "made in Spain" and it looked pretty easy. I think he used whole eggs too.

Thanks for the tip! :)

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Soups, mashed potatoes, sorbie (sp?)

I have different end blades I use for my Bamix immersion blender. Seldom do I switch from one phenomenal blade that seems to do it all in seconds. Cleans up well, too.

I don't make the sorbie as much, but it's a low cal alternative to frozen yogurt. I usually take frozen fruit, ice cubes, a little water, some lemon and a little sugar. Okay, now I'm making myself want to make it again, come summer.

[pengillian101]

14. Tell me about the mashed potatoes, please.

I have tried more than once - do you have some hints? I can't get the hang of it.

I only have the one blade on the stick blender. And just the one blade inside the container.

Thanks!

[MrMickeysMom]

15. manual first, then mechanical

I do mashed this way - red potatoes cubed boiled until tender, drain, then add the liquid ingredients with whatever fat (I usually go with soy milk, then some butter).

While potatoes are still left in the pot from stove (I use Dutch oven), I hand mash them to get the stuff lumpy, then switch to the immersion blender up and down, adjusting more liquid fat, but keeping the blade in constant contact with potatoes (else, they will be thrown out of the pot). They get quite creamy that way.

I think the blade has to be a good one, but through the years I had different "stick blenders", starting with Oster, and happily ending with my Bamix and they've all done the job creamy.

I hope this helped! :hi:

[pengillian101]

16. Yes, helpful hint - thanks!

[pengillian101]

12. Oh, it is such fun to use!

I just have a cheapie. http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KHB300WH-Hand-Blender-White/dp/B00008GSAB/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1295249447&sr=1-3

I have never used the egg whisk or the large drink container.

But the container with the stick really chops vegies in a snap. They don't LOOK like pretty diced vegies all the TV chefs insist on. So what - cooked in a recipe? Who cares?

It is great in immersion blending soups into a puree.

Just hours ago, we had strawberry, banana, frozen yogurt smoothies whirred up.

You'll love yours.

[pengillian101]

13. Update.

Mine looks just like this, except in color, and the brand name is Braun.