hand blender use?

[bear]

I am the happy owner of a new powerful hand blender. Just wondering, what dishes do you make that you didn't make before, or do you feel are improved using a hand-blender? I am aware that you don't need specific recipes tailored to hand-blenders, but I'm guessing that your repertoire can expand with this handy little device. Any thoughts?

[knecht]

I make jerk marinade with my hand blender. It works well to blend everything, and there's less to clean than if I used a blender or food processor.

[Louise]

Mostly for soup, but also recently for mashed sweet potatoes.

I usually dislike kitchen gadgets, because so many of them are single use toys (mushroom brushes anyone) but the immersion blender with the kung fu grip is really really great and pureed soups are much easier. No more transferring hot soup from the pot to the food processor, inevitably overloading the bowl, spilling it as I pour it into another pan (so many dirty dishes to wash).

You do have to be careful though, or it's soup all over the walls and ceiling.

[mschow]

I've used it in making soups like mushroom bisque puree some of the mushrooms. I've also used it in beating eggs to make scrambled eggs. The eggs became really frothy, and when scrambled, have a light and fluffy texture.

[WCchopper]

Sometimes I use mine to make salad dressings like vinagrette. I whirl up green peas and butter to a mash for a side with salmon. It makes my cream sauces creamier. I use it for pudding or custard. I mash sweet potatoes with it ( it makes regular potatoes gluey). I could go on and on...

[diva360]

I use it for most of the things others have mentioned, though I haven't tried to make mayonnaise with it, just the food processor. I've made pesto with it that turned out great, as well as salsa with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic and chilis, along with various kinds of cheese dips. Try to remember to use a bowl with tall sides or something similar so the contents don't splash all over.

[jsaimd]

I puree very ripe fruit to put over my waffles in the morning for a healthy, but moist topping (the gluten-free waffles I buy can be a bit dry sometimes). I also use it for smoothies. With my kids, that prefer blended sauces, I use it to blend up pasta sauces. I made tomatillo sauce tonight with it.

It just stays on the counter because I use it so much. I still use my food processor and more rarely my blender, but for day to day, quick blending, when I don't care about perfection I always use the hand blender.

[scubadoo97]

great for soups to thicken or puree. I use them for emulsified dressings and mayonnaise. Yesterday I took a couple cans of chipotle in adobo and blended them up with some guava paste. I keep this in the fridge as a super spicy condiment. I also use mine for blending cans of whole tomatoes when I don't want chunks. I still prefer the food processor for things like hummus and blender for pestos and salsas but I find I use my stick blender often.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

We love it for soups like Potato Leek or Butternut Squash. Others on the board use it for making mayo which I still use my food processor for.

[coffee_addict]

we love our hand blender or "boat motor" as my husband calls it. we use it to thicken up soups like black bean soup by putting the blender right into the soup and giving it a whirl on the stovetop.