Hand Blenders 101 - Everything You Need to Know

Hand blenders are versatile kitchen equipment that can grind and mash various fruits and vegetables to suit your different needs. Battery-powered or corded, this deceptively simple implement can easily be underestimated as only for blending soups or shakes, but it actually has a variety of uses that might come out as a surprise for those who prefer the more traditional blenders or more complicated pieces of equipment. If you want to know how else your trusty and dependable hand blender can still be used, here's a list:

4. Whisk eggs. If you want to make an egg omelet, you can simply crack the eggs in a bowl, mix it using a hand blender before cooking. If you want, you can also use it to whip egg whites for a meringue recipe.1. Puree soups and sauces. Simply immerse the blades of your hand blender into the vegetable chunks that's cooking in the pot. This eliminates the need to transfer the soup by batches into a blender and back again into the pot to continue cooking. It can also be used to blend sauces and to smooth lumps out of gravy.3. Blend baby food. We all know babies can only consume so much and it would be too much to blend boiled squash, sweet potatoes and potatoes in a traditional blender. There would be too much waste! Hand blenders are better alternatives since you can simple blend what baby needs in much smaller containers.With simple hand blenders, you can easily prepare food in a matter of minutes without the hassle of complicated clean ups after. A word of caution before using your hand blenders: Make sure you familiarize yourself with the operation by reading the manual first. Always ensure that you don't fill containers to the brim, otherwise you'll have to clean up a lot of splatter on your walls afterwards.Read our shocking Blendtec Total Blender review and don't forget to use this Blendtec coupon code.7. Make solid food digestible. If you simply want to make solid food more digestible for a loved one who may have a hard time swallowing it, then hand blenders are the implements of choice.5. Whip and emulsify ingredients. If you need to incorporate ingredients slowly, hand blenders do a good job since your other hand is free for the other materials that you need to mix in. Making mayonnaise, whipped cream and the like are good examples of this preparation. Oil and vinegar salad dressings that separate when placed in the refrigerator may be blended together again using hand blenders.6. Chop items. Surprised? Don't be. Hand blenders can chop dried fruit or nuts and mince garlic and other herbs as well. The tall, narrow containers that usually come with blender are used for this purpose.

With simple hand blenders, you can easily prepare food in a matter of minutes without the hassle of complicated clean ups after. A word of caution before using your hand blenders: Make sure you familiarize yourself with the operation by reading the manual first. Always ensure that you don't fill containers to the brim, otherwise you'll have to clean up a lot of splatter on your walls afterwards.Read our shocking Blendtec Total Blender review and don't forget to use this Blendtec coupon code.

Immersion blender makes cooking a whiz

Alicia writes: I've got a new favorite kitchen tool. It's an immersion blender, also known as a stick blender or hand blender. Basically it's a blender you put into the food instead of putting the food into the blender. And it's perfect for pureeing soups as well as mixing drinks, blending individual milk shakes and more.

2 large heads broccoli (about 2 1/2 pounds)Start to finish: 30 minutes1 cup 2% milkIf you're looking for a last-minute gift for the chief cook on your list, this is it. Available at mart-type stores, kitchen stores and scads of online stores, immersion blenders are priced from under $25 to over $100, depending on the brand and attachments.1 large onionBYRON'S BROCCOLI BLUE CHEESE SOUPCook's note: For a kid-friendly version, substitute an equal amount of shredded sharp white cheddar for the blue cheese.4. Add the bouillon cubes, cheese and milk. Stir well and continue to heat over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until the bouillon is dissolved and the cheese is well incorporated.At service he reheats the rice with the liquid and adds diced shrimp, roasted, diced acorn squash, acorn squash puree, butter, parsley and purple endive.He tops it with a foam made of chicken stock, butter, cream and pumpkin seed oil whipped with an immersion blender. He tops that with shrimp sauteed with olive oil and finished with shrimp stock and butter and garnished with micro arugula.2. Peel and quarter the onion and add it to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the broccoli is extremely tender, about 20 minutes.Because these handy tools are so easy to clean (most are dishwasher safe -- check before buying), they'll score high with the chief dishwasher, too.Beverly Mills is a former food editor of the Miami Herald food section and a mother of two; Alicia Ross, a former food columnist for The Raleigh News and Observer, also has two children. They have been living the desperate life for years and years. Send desperate tales of woe or everyday success stories and your favorite quick recipes to Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at www.desperationdinners.com. You can e-mail Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross at bev-alicia@desperationdinners.com.Serves 63. Puree the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender (or transfer small batches to a blender and puree).1 quart water5. Serve immediately, topping with additional blue cheese crumbles, if desired.1 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus more for optional garnish (see Cook's note)My friend Pauline Byron turned me on to the glories of the immersion blender when she shared her terrific recipe for Broccoli Blue Cheese soup. If you don't own an immersion blender you can transfer the soup to a regular blender to puree. But, oh my -- blending directly in the pot is so much easier!1. Place the water in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Rinse the broccoli. Cut off the tough ends of the broccoli stalks and discard. Roughly chop the broccoli and add it to the pot.© United Feature Syndicate Inc.

© United Feature Syndicate Inc.

Author: Beverly Mills with Alicia Ross United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Gulf shrimp risotto: Oceana, New York City

Executive chef Ben Pollinger par cooks rice with white wine followed by shrimp stock. He strains the rice, pouring more stock through it to keep the rice from clumping together. He reserves the liquid.

5 chicken bouillon cubes

He tops it with a foam made of chicken stock, butter, cream and pumpkin seed oil whipped with an immersion blender. He tops that with shrimp sauteed with olive oil and finished with shrimp stock and butter and garnished with micro arugula.

Sweetness or fat cuts the heat nicely in fiery, spicy foods

A few weeks ago, food writers at the National Chicken Cook-Off watched a watermelon salsa demonstration. All the ingredients were placed in scooped-out watermelon shells, and the cooks -- fellow food writers called up from the audience -- used hand-held immersion blenders to puree them together.

1. Puree soups and sauces. Simply immerse the blades of your hand blender into the vegetable chunks that's cooking in the pot. This eliminates the need to transfer the soup by batches into a blender and back again into the pot to continue cooking. It can also be used to blend sauces and to smooth lumps out of gravy.1/4 pound jalapeno peppers (or to taste), seeded and choppedCut the tomatillos into quarters. Heat the oil in a large heavy saute pan over medium high heat. Saute onions for a few minutes and then add the tomatillos, garlic and jalapenos. Saute until the onions and garlic begin to brown. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle the cumin and chili powder over the pan. Stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cool. Place in a blender or food processor with the watermelon and puree. To serve, after the salsa is dished, sprinkle with salt. Makes 6-7 cups. -- National Watermelon Promotion BoardThe result was pretty tasty, although it had a smoother texture than most salsas.1/4 cup fresh minced garlic7. Make solid food digestible. If you simply want to make solid food more digestible for a loved one who may have a hard time swallowing it, then hand blenders are the implements of choice.3. Blend baby food. We all know babies can only consume so much and it would be too much to blend boiled squash, sweet potatoes and potatoes in a traditional blender. There would be too much waste! Hand blenders are better alternatives since you can simple blend what baby needs in much smaller containers.1 pound white or sweet onion, minced2 1/2 pounds medium tomatillos (peel off parchment-like coating and rinse)1 cup tomato sauce or pureeAccording to the Chile Institute, dairy products such as milk, yogurt and sour cream have another heat-easing advantage. They contain a substance called casein, which helps disrupt the burning sensation.1/4 cup ground cuminBut it's easier to add more heat to a recipe than it is to dilute or diminish it. When making something spicy, it's a good idea to mix in only part of the chiles or spices at first and then taste before adding more.If you end up making a dish that's too fiery, the June 2007 issue of Cook's Illustrated advises adding an ingredient on the opposite end of the flavor spectrum.2. Blend drinks and make smoothies. From milkshakes to fruit smoothies, hand blenders allow you to make the exact amount in a glass or some other container. You don't waste ingredients since you don't have to fill an entire blender, and thus save yourself the hassle of cleaning the whole thing. Fill only your glass or container about two-thirds of the way and blend in! Hand blenders are even strong enough to break the ice for your smoothies. If you're making milk frothing for your chocolate fondant, an immersion blender (that's another name for the hand blender) may also be used.Cook's Illustrated's test-kitchen personnel made five-alarm chili and salsa. A small amount of sugar was added to one batch of chili, and another batch of chili was served with sour cream. Both ingredients had a cooling effect, but the sour cream's effect was more pronounced.Kosher saltWith simple hand blenders, you can easily prepare food in a matter of minutes without the hassle of complicated clean ups after. A word of caution before using your hand blenders: Make sure you familiarize yourself with the operation by reading the manual first. Always ensure that you don't fill containers to the brim, otherwise you'll have to clean up a lot of splatter on your walls afterwards.Read our shocking Blendtec Total Blender review and don't forget to use this Blendtec coupon code.For the salsa, a small amount of sugar was added to one batch, and olive oil was added to another. Both ingredients equally took the heat level down a notch.E-MAIL: vphillips@desnews.comWatermelon is one more option in the fruity salsa trend, with mango, peach and pineapple as some of the other favorites. Besides being flavorful, the sweetness helps cut the heat. That's a boon to those of us who like to taste the spicy flavor of foods rather than have our mouth burned into numbness.

E-MAIL: vphillips@desnews.com

Author: Valerie Phillips Deseret Morning News

Easy recipe: chestnut soup

With the help of peeled vacuum-packed chestnuts (from $6.25 for 7 oz.; available at gourmet shops and Whole Foods Markets), this otherwise labor-intensive soup becomes a rich weeknight standby. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 chopped onions, 4 stalks chopped celery, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until onion and celery have softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 lbs. peeled vacuum-packed chestnuts, 4 cups chicken stock, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chestnuts are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and puree soup using an immersion blender (or whirl in batches in a blender or food processor). Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if you like. Makes 6 servings.

An appealing balance of acidity and sweetness makes Blue Mountain Cider Company's Eden Ridge our hard cider of choice. Based in Oregon, its makers top off the brew with fresh juice for a true apple taste. $10,750 ml.; no shipping to MT or UT; bluemountaincider.com or 541/938-5575.

Hand Blenders 101 - Everything You Need to Know

Hand blenders are versatile kitchen equipment that can grind and mash various fruits and vegetables to suit your different needs. Battery-powered or corded, this deceptively simple implement can easily be underestimated as only for blending soups or shakes, but it actually has a variety of uses that might come out as a surprise for those who prefer the more traditional blenders or more complicated pieces of equipment. If you want to know how else your trusty and dependable hand blender can still be used, here's a list:

1 1/4 pounds watermelon chunks, seedless or with seeds removedTOASTED JALAPENO TOMATILLO AND WATERMELON SALSA1/2 cup vegetable oil3 tablespoons mild chili powder4. Whisk eggs. If you want to make an egg omelet, you can simply crack the eggs in a bowl, mix it using a hand blender before cooking. If you want, you can also use it to whip egg whites for a meringue recipe.5. Whip and emulsify ingredients. If you need to incorporate ingredients slowly, hand blenders do a good job since your other hand is free for the other materials that you need to mix in. Making mayonnaise, whipped cream and the like are good examples of this preparation. Oil and vinegar salad dressings that separate when placed in the refrigerator may be blended together again using hand blenders.If you get carried away with the jalapenos or habaneros, you can add a little sugar to a fruity salsa without altering it much. Or, you can dilute the heat with more fruit.

With simple hand blenders, you can easily prepare food in a matter of minutes without the hassle of complicated clean ups after. A word of caution before using your hand blenders: Make sure you familiarize yourself with the operation by reading the manual first. Always ensure that you don't fill containers to the brim, otherwise you'll have to clean up a lot of splatter on your walls afterwards.Read our shocking Blendtec Total Blender review and don't forget to use this Blendtec coupon code.

Author: Antoinette Beppu