Indispensable Kitchen Tool

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Indispensable Kitchen Tool


Having the right tools in a kitchen is important, not just for speed, but also for the quality of the food being prepared. One tool that I believe is a must-have in any kitchen is an immersion blender, sometimes called a stick or hand blender. Patented in Switzerland in 1950, immersion blenders remained in Europe until finally making their way over to North America in the 1980s. Now, they're something that many home cooks have on hand, and for good reason. An immersion blender is one of the handiest, most convenient tools you can have in your kitchen.  

Do I need an immersion blender if I already have a countertop blender?

The short answer is Yes.

 

The main difference is that a countertop blender features a jar on top of a motorized base that sits on your countertop while blending. An immersion blender is a handheld blender and does not have a jar. You can insert the blades into nearly any container, therefore, your blending is not limited to the size of your countertop blender jar.  

A hand blender allows you to blend in the same dish you’re using to prepare your recipe. This makes blending hot foods like soups and chutneys on a stovetop much easier as you can leave your ingredients in the pot, rather than transferring them to a blender jar.


Quick cleanup after using by simply rinsing the blender arm and blades. You can also cut down on the number of dishes you use by skipping the blender jar found on countertop models.


They're compact, so they don't take up much space in your cabinets, drawers, or countertop.


They're affordable, so you're not dropping a lot of dough on another pricey kitchen gadget.


They're easy to use — notably in a lot of ways you might not have considered.



Making Oat Milk

While your immersion blender likely isn't strong enough to obliterate almonds or cashews, it can take on oats for a quick batch of homemade oat milk. Making oat milk requires just four ingredients (rolled oats, water, cinnamon, and vanilla). You add it all to a large mason jar, seal it, and refrigerate it overnight. Then, in the morning, you can simply stick your immersion blender right in the jar and give it a few quick blends. Strain the mixture to remove all the oat clumps and you've got your oat milk.

 

Blending Pancake Batter

Mix up batter for classic buttermilk pancakes or an indulgent Dutch baby pancake with the immersion blender and never worry about streaks of flour lurking behind.

Beating Eggs


Making scrambled eggs, omelets, or frittatas? Reach for the immersion blender when it’s time to beat the eggs. Yes, it’s fast and easy, but blending — as opposed to whisking or beating with a fork — ensures the yolks and whites are uniformly combined. You’ll be rewarded with fluffy eggs, every time.

Making Tomato Sauces

Just like your immersion blender can puree your cooked tomatoes into a perfectly creamy tomato soup, it can likewise turn tomatoes, onions, garlic, and other ingredients into a perfectly smooth or chunky, depending on how you prefer it, pasta sauce.

 

Mixing Salad dressings 

With the help of the immersion blender, making your own salad dressing just got a whole lot faster.


Pureeing soup


Arguably the most popular use for an immersion blender, and the one that you're likely most familiar with, is pureeing soups which has become easier than ever thanks to these handy little appliances. No longer do you need to struggle with hot, boiling soup, attempting to pour it into the slender cylinder of your countertop blender. Now, you can obliterate that butternut squash, pumpkin, or tomatoes, to easily make the perfect pot of soup, easily with just the right texture — no third-degree kitchen burns required.

 

 Maple Roasted Butternut Soup

There is nothing quite like a piping hot bowl of this slightly sweet soup on a cold winter day.  This roasted butternut squash soup is sweetened with maple syrup that coats the squash while roasting. It’s easy, oh-so-good, and Vegan friendly!


| Maple Roasted Butternut Soup - Download Recipe |

The next few posts are going to explore the world's 2nd most popular drink.


 

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