It depends on how "far out" you want to get - but some of my non-baby-item must haves for baby include a:

• stick vaccuum - this comes in handy the minute kiddo becomes mobile. I use mine at least 2x daily
  
  
• chux pads - pre labor, after labor, during diaper changes, in your car, in public. I use these everywhere
  
  
• pop socket for your phone - because dropping your phone on a sleeping newborn infant's head while trying to snap a picture is sad. Ask me how I know
  
  
• wet bags - I use these to organize my diaper bag, store snacks, wet clothes, everything
  
  
• collapsible storage bins - I have these all over filled with toys. It's nice because my son can lean into them to collapse them so he can reach toys at the bottom, as opposed to hard toy boxes where they either cry for you or fall in trying to reach
  
  
• immersion blender - you can turn anything into puree without having to buy a baby specific product, and it'll serve you post-baby as well
  
  Might be weird to put these things on a registry though :'D

Immersion blender. Like this.

That is a Breville immersion blender. Looks like this one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BSB510XL-Control-Immersion-Blender/dp/B004RF7QJW

These are immersion blenders. I'm a fan of this one because the buttons are on the top which makes them easier for me to use with my thumb.

I will absolutely ship you one. Well, not entirely. I will absolutely get Amazon to ship you one just like I have. :D You can PM me your info or... make an Amazon wishlist and PM me your wishlist (that way I won't see your address. You just never know about me.)

ETA: More descriptive immersion blenderness - It's a blender you just stick in the pot. Like, for your pea soup: cook it all up, turn off the heat, stick the immersion blender in, turn it on, and swirl it like you're stirring with a spoon. It'll blend up everything into a nice smooth soup. My favorite use is with boiled cauliflower: I boil it, drain it, add sour cream, chives, cheese, cream, salt and pepper, then immersion blend. When I'm done, I can serve my fauxtatoes right out of the pan into bowls.

Immersion blenders: Stick It In! (I entertain me)

Just a heads up, a better blending tool might be an immersion blender. These types of blenders are really popular for soapmaking because they blend the lye water and oils at a much higher rate than a kitchenaid. I can hit trace with mine in roughly 5 minutes, which is a huge step up from stirring.

I hope that helps!

So far I've just been browsing Kinja deals and had one recommendation as well as interested in others' recommendations. Here are some:

$52 Instant Pot 3 quart. Love the 6 quart version, but it's huge. I think 3 qt would've been fine for me.

$26 dinnerware set don't know this item.

$37 Lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven. Considering this. Anyone own it? Do I need a cast iron dutch oven? Is it better than a stainless steel one? Already have a cast iron pan.

$25 Stick blender

The sous vide immersion circulator was sold out but will be back, let's hope.

I couldn't tell you if it is BIFL yet, but I just bought a cuisinart immersion blender. It works great. The blending portion is super easy to clean, and I believe it is dishwasher safe. The design is really comfortable and easy to use.
Check I out, it's not too expensive:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ARQVM5O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1395250389&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

My most used small appliance was a wedding gift. It is the Cuisinart Smart Stick Immersion Blender. If I had to buy another one, I would but it is going on 3 years since I have received it.
I use it multiple times a week. All the attachments are useful.

Presuming we're talking at-home use,a slight variation of Fab1005's thoughts, I use a Cuisinart SmartStick (blade end-not the whip), slightly softened Ice Cream, a splash of milk and blueberries, cherries, chocolate (whatever flavor) then employ a piston-like top of cup to bottom motion and... wha-la! The best Milkshake(s) I've ever had.

I HIGHLY recommend this product.

Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RF7QJW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've used Kitchen aid stick blenders for years in catering and restaurants. I gave it and tried this due to an ATK recommendation.

Its hands down better then most non commercial stick blenders. I don't know what a slicer is, but this has a mini food processor attachment along with a whisk and a good sized carafe to make mayo in.

Edit a 2nd edite... if you want a slicer... like a food processor dont depend on a stick blender... too small moter too small bowl. Id highly suggest a "benny" type mandoline 30$ and will slice food as thins as you want and bigger work area. All kitchens ive worked in have at least one for slicing perfect uniform shit... instad of the pricey french manolins. Even better get a knife and learn to slice a benny is always fater but it takes up space. I have banny pro and i love it.

Only downside Its $10 more than your price range. I would say that $10 is very worth it.

Proof : Worked from 13 to 30 in kitchens putting myself through college. Now Civil Engineer , but cook at heart.

Edit When i purchased it early 2016, it was $79.96 and now its up to 91 and change.

A nice Immersion Blender could be cool too...

The one I've got I've had for about a year and is actually $16. I probably wouldn't trust it to blend ice, but I've done a few broccoli cheddar soups and saag paneers that were really thick and it stands up nicely. The whisk attachment whips up hwc nicely too. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018ELIYA4/

This was recommended by Serious Eats and I have it, it’s very powerful and easy to clean.

What you are describing is 2 bags every 3 days, so 20 bags a month. Start out with a one time purchase of 7 bags (28 meals) and try it out, you may not like it right away, so eat it for a week. If you don't like it, you can easily sell the remaining bags for what you paid for them and just walk away. If you like it and still want to do like you describe, go with the 21 bag subscription which they call 84 meals.

If you do like it, buy this and one of these to make your life a million times easier and to make the Soylent taste better IMO.

Remember that once you mix up a bag of it, you have 3 days to finish it if it is refrigerated. I would also suggest getting a couple of 1 liter blender bottles, but that is not necessary just more convenient.

My wife and i make a lot of soups in the winter time and getting an emersion blender was fucking life changing. Pureeing hot soup in batches with a blender sucks. We have this one and I love it

http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stainless-Immersion-Detachable-Variable/dp/B007R2E47Y

Buy one of those hand immersion blenders, they're like 20 bucks or so, work great!

Edit: I have this one. Also works great for thickening up soups and stews or just using it as a regular blender for smoothies/protein shakes (but no crushing ice with it!)

Edit #2 Fixed link.

Hard to say without knowing what he already has. Assuming he has knife, cuttingboard, pans etc, maybe a stick blender like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ARQVM5O/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

Or a mandoline like this: http://www.amazon.com/Benriner-Japanese-Mandoline-Slicer-Green/dp/B0000VZ57C

Those are two of my favorite odds and ends that make life easier but took me a while to purchase them because they weren't necessary per se

Yeah! So ErantyInt posted this breakfast shake the other day, I love almond milk and peanut butter so it caught my attention, just blend up:

• 1 large banana
  
• 1 carnation instant breakfast packet
  
• 1/2 scoop protein powder
  
• 3T honey greek yogurt
  
• 2T peanut butter
  
• 1C unsweetened almond milk
  
  I picked up this blender, much easier to clean and deal with than a regular blender.

In case anyone is trying to pick one, I want to endorse the Cuisinart SmartStick. It's relatively inexpensive at around $35, but this is not an indicator of low quality; my first one delivered four years of daily frozen-fruit smoothies. This is in contrast to a $100 that died because it couldn't handle ice.

It is mashed Cauliflower. I boil a head of cauliflower. Drain it, add butter, salt, pepper and garlic powered to the whole thing and use this. Sometimes I boil some garlic cloves with the cauliflower.

As a student on a budget/minimalist, this is what I own and use often when I cook.


Cookware:

• 
  Skillet (Use it for everything)
  
• 
  Saucepan + Cover (Sauces, soup for one, make rice)
  
• 
  Pot (More soup, boiling pasta)
  
• 
  Colander (Drain stuff)
  
• 
  Steamer basket (Steam veggies)
  
• 
  Baking dish (Bake stuff/serving dish)
  
• 
  Handheld blender (Blend sauces & soups, whip potatoes or parsnips)
  
• 
  Chef's knife (Cut everything)
  
• 
  Paring knife (With practice you can peel fruits or veggies)
  
• 
  Wooden spatula
  
• 
  Heavy wood cutting board
  
• 
  Plastic Spatula
  
• 
  Grater
  
• 
  Mixing bowl
  
• 
  Measuring cups/spoons
  
• 
  French press (Use to also brew tea)
  
• 
  Coffee grinder (Grind coffee beans and your own spices)
  
  
  
• 
  Mason jars: I use them for EVERYTHING. Store rice, spices, weed. Use as glasses, get the wide-mouth ones and stick the hand blender in there and make a smoothie or attached it to a normal blender. Use them as food containers to take to work/school, they are made to be spill-proof and microwave safe.
  
  Spices vary from person to person and what food they are comfortable with making, the one thing I do suggest is to buy kosher salt - none of that table salt crap. If you can find them whole and grind them yourself, even better!
  

I'm not sure if this is a concern for you, but I recommend the Breville. If you're using enameled pots/pans, metal can scratch or leave marks on the enamel. There's a few other immersion blenders with no-scratch bases, but the ratings are lower. It works well for me, but I haven't used other ones.

If you don't have a concern about scratching/marking the bottom of a pot, then KitchenAid or Cuisinart should be just as good. My parents have an old Cuisinart that's still going strong, but they only use it for homemade sauces/dressings and milkshakes.

Is chocolate almond milk the secret? I tried regular almond milk and it was terrible. I almost couldn't get it down. Also I just want to say I highly recommend one of these guys. No more shaking!

Definitely makes a difference. Or dump into a magic bullet. It becomes frothy and not oily at all. I use this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005MMNBBQ/


Also works great for meal prep.


EDIT: don't mix it in a coffee mug with an immersion blender, it'll spill out. I use a 2 cup measuring glass for my 1 cup coffee/butter/coconut oil/stevia mix.

First, an immersion blender is the best fricking purchase for the kitchen. I am so in love with mine and use it weekly. But basically, mashed cauli is super easy. For this one specifically, I boiled a head of cauli and then in a separate bowl put 3 oz neufchatel (cream cheese), 3 oz shredded sharp cheddar, some grated parmesan, garlic powder, adobo, lots of cracked pepper, a bit of rosemary, and some hot paprika. Once the cauli is soft, drain it and shake it a decent bit to get a ton of water out, pour into the bowl, then immersion blend! And done! So easy. So good.

My next kitchen purchase, whenever I have the money anyway, is an immersion blender (huh, they're cheaper than I thought lol).

I've never made soups from scratch (stocks/broths, yes), but the soup you make yourself I assume would be better for you than anything out of a can. Fuck canned goods (well unless that's all you have, then, OK, either canned goods or don't eat.)

In the meantime though, gimme a milkshake/smoothee instead. More calories and I would wager more protein in most cases.

1. I definitely think so. I'm not a big fan of Soylent at room temperature. I prefer mine to be nice and cold. I even freeze the glass I use before pouring myself a meal.
   
   
2. I haven't noticed a difference in taste between fresh and couple day old Soylent. The directions advise you to consume each batch within 48 hours of making it but I've pushed that number to 3-4 days without the taste or smell changing on me.
   
   
3. Yes, I highly recommend purchasing a hand blender like this one. The difference between blended and shaken Soylent is absolutely huge.
   
   Shaken Soylent is much, much grittier and doesn't taste as smooth. Blended Soylent is much more like a thick cream and has very little grit to it.
   
   Plus, blended Soylent doesn't separate as much as shaken Soylent. When I finish a pitcher I'll go ahead and make another one so that it's cold for my next meal. I noticed that when I came back for my next meal, shaken Soylent will have separated into a big layer of water and oil at the top of the pitcher while the blended Soylent has a very thin layer of water and oil. This separation had a noticeable effect on the taste.
   
   If you're going to be consuming Soylent with any kind of regularity I would definitely recommend purchasing a hand blender.

Here's a regular link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TJTASYG

I didn't know what a 'hand blender' was, sounded painful, but it's just another term for what I know as an 'immersion blender'. I have the kitchenaid one, myself. I like it better because it comes apart for cleaning and has a few other attachments. The best attachment is the whisk. The little food processor jar is pretty garbage.
This is the one I have(it's significantly more expensive):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBA0PS8

I highly recommend one of those multifunction stick blenders. I actually bought this cheap one. The food processor attachment does its job and the whisk comes in handy. The immersion attachment is awesome for soups, smoothies, and sauces.

The motor and stick are connect with a piece of plastic. I have gone through several before giving up. I am not alone with this problem.

link

That is actually not a bad deal. The only thing that I dont see in that kit is a stick blender, which you really do need because mixing by hand can take hours and hours and is horrible. So add a stainless steel stick blender to the pile. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00ARQVM5O/ref=lp_289916_1_1_olp?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1493140970&sr=1-1 (its about $10 more on Brambleberry). Oh and youll need some mixing containers and a silicone spatula - sturdy plastic stuff from dollar store or my personal favorite, paint mixing buckets from the hardware store.

I mean, sure, you can spend less by searching around and using other things for molds and oils from the grocery store, but the mold and scale alone are $41 so that's not a bad deal.

I would advise the lavender kit, or maybe lemongrass. Citrus scents are usually disappointing in soaps.

I have this one and cannot live without it. I use it all the time, and the whisk attachment is nice.

When I was in college, I ate so much cereal, the ones in the bags!

Right now I'm using Schmilk (chocolate). I do weight training so I add protein (double rich chocolate, but they have tons of flavors); really speeds up the healing process, no muscle pains the next day.

Benefit of Soylent was that you didn't need a blender, but it's recommended for Schmilk, so I got an immersion blender. Felt a bit bummed that I had to buy an appliance, but it's so much faster and better than shaking a half gallon of liquid!

I backed Soylent's Kickstarter, and it came with this pitcher. It's so awesome that I bought a second one, so I can have one in the fridge while I wash the other in the dishwasher. I fill 1/4 of the pitcher with milk, add 4 meals worth of Schmilk/protein, little more milk to cover the powders, and blend right in the pitcher. Add some more milk, blend again, and top off. It's ready to drink right then or chill overnight (my preference) -- done for two days!

The ready-to-go bottles of Soylent seems convenient, but it's a little less than what I'm drinking now (414ml vs 500ml), it won't save me any time if I want to add protein (adds a lot of flavor/variety for me), and costs a bit more.

First this

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI

then this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0761KNS2R/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0761KNS2R&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=21517efd-b385-405b-a405-9a37af61b5b4&pd_rd_wg=Pvf9U&pf_rd_r=ZFK9RJ09QR642J7HMERQ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=PNa12&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=1dd00d34-e14f-11e8-b60a-abe4f6597a9c

This looks amazing! If you do purees like this occasionally, I recommend looking into getting an immersion blender (example). Got one of these as a gift, and it's now one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Makes large blend jobs way easier with less cleanup. Bonus: it's much smaller than a traditional blender.

Does he have an immersion blender? ($35) ($26) ($32)

There are a few different vendors on Etsy that will print your logo on flour sack towels for less than $30.

Digital kitchen scale.

Food seasonings (herbs/spices/rubs). They come in small bottles so you can get him a few to try out. You should see if you can find a local shop you can browse. I like Penzeys, myself.

You might also want to ask over on /r/Calligraphy for some ideas if you haven't.

I recommend the Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender. It's a tiny bit expensive for a hand blender, but it's awesome and every kitchen should have one. It is supercharged, variable speed, comes with a chopping attachment, a nice large pitcher to blend in, and a lid that fits both. You can use it to blend a large quantity in a big container, or just a small quantity in a very small container. It's a great multi tasker - I just used it for 3 different things in one meal.

The others are just trying to help because a lot of misinformed people on here think keto is about eating a lot of fat. It can be, but not always for everyone.

Get a hand blender, like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=asc_df_B00ARQVM5O/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167155690034&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17907049679365908739&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031180&hvtargid=pla-273692484646&psc=1

It will emulsify fats into liquids. If you want it to stay emulsified for a long period of time you will need some form of stabilizer. I'll do a quick search for a keto friendly stabilizer.

Edit.

I would use gum Arabic, also known as acacia gum. You can order it online and it's not expensive. It will add fiber to your diet as well. Its completely indigestible so no calories or carbs. I'm not sure how much to add, I imagine it will take some experimentation. You should add a small amount and blend it in while emulsifying and let the item sit for a few hours and see if it's still emulsified. You'll find the sweet spot. It will vary depending on the type of fat, type of liquid, and amount of both.

Good luck. Hope that was helpful.

ooh ooh finally something I can give insight on. I am a hot chocolate lover as well.

I would buy an immersion/hand blender. Here is an amazon link to the one I use and its awesome. The hand blender will blend mexican hot chocolate and chocolate bars into milk you heat in the microwave or blend right in a pot and froth it nicely. Try to use a big glass jar. Don't add chocolate to a pan that is on the burner, if you burn the chocolate it tastes really bad and you don't need that much heat to blend chocolate.
amazon link

When you heat milk it needs to be hotter than you can drink because when you use the hand blender it will cool it down. Also be careful with it boiling over.

I'm Hispanic so I was accustomed to Abuelita and Ibarra and I realized over time the flavor changed, recently I looked at the ingredients and they were made cheaper. You have to be careful with some Mexican groceries because they will substitute cheap ingredients.

I suggest Tazo hot chocolate if you want that Mexican Style Hot Chocolate, they sell them at whole foods or at their website but their shipping is ridiculous.

Another hot chocolate I like is called Wicked Hot Chocolate
here is the link to the website

Godiva serves hot chocolate and I love it from there.

What I do normally though is buy a huge quality bar of chocolate like at Trader Joes and chop it and put it in a jar. I dust it with some cocoa powder so it won't melt to the jar. If you ever see a good flavored chocolate bar get it and use it in hot chocolate. Remember to look at the ingredients and make sure it has cacao butter not palm oil substitute. Also be careful when buying things with "flavor" in the end. Like Cinnamon "flavor" means there is no cinnamon in it, just something with that flavor.

For sweeteners I prefer raw sugar or maple syrup. But normal sugar is fine. I like to add sugar and keep tasting and add more as I go in teaspoons. I've found 1 Tablespoon of sugar to 3 Tablespoons of chopped Chocolate to be my favorite. If you measure the milk, chocolate and sugar and have the measurements down you can make them really quick.

Also I like to add a pinch of sea salt to finish the chocolate. And I also eat it with Hawaiian bread, when you dip the Hawaiian bread in the chocolate it coats it and is delicious.

For heating water, fire is better than electricity so just get a good camp kettle and forage for dry wood while you're out enjoying nature. If you want hot water right when you wake up and are stealthing, go heat it over a campfire somewhere the day before and throw it in a thermos. Adjusting your lifestyle a bit is part of becoming a vandweller after all...

For blending, I'd suggest one of these since it only uses 200W, is easy to clean and takes up little space. I use it to make delicious smoothies using a frozen banana (plus blueberries, yogurt & whey protein - yum). A frozen banana is a lot tougher to puree than most raw veggies, and 2-3 minutes of blending with that is all it takes. My guess is a blender that can turn bricks into sand is probably overkill for most of what you eat.

Cusinart is terrible. I'm on my second.

Here's why: I was looking for the same thing as you. After a long search, I decided that a BIFL stick blender simply wasn't worth the money it was going to cost for something genuinely commercial.

Not when I can buy a Cuisinart that will last for five years of light duty.

It'll die when the plastic gears strip, as you pointed out. But it does serve its very occasional purpose and for about 1/10th cost of a seriously good one.

If I used a stick blender more than once every two weeks, I'd probably consider a more serious machine. As it is, the Cuisinart is a dead stick blending, but for the price of a decent dinner, I can live with that.

Yup! I have the same one as well and it has been great. OP, I use it for exactly that, blending big pots of soup.

edit: Here's a little nicer of a link: http://amzn.com/B00ARQVM5O

An immersion blender works best

Betty Crocker Hand Held Immersion Blender Stick with Beaker | One Hand Mixer | Chopper and Dicer | BC-1303CK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K05AZQY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i790AbFWFQWFF

Yes i use one like this mixer

1. I use the following, in order of preference: butter (4tbsp), heavy whipping cream (1/3 cup), avocado oil (1/4 cup). All are great but butter is aweome.
   
2. If you order the weekly special (10% off) and grab 4 bags (5% off) you'll get both discounts. There are coupons out there occasionally as well. Without coupons it works out to 84 servings at $2.69 cents before your fat/oil source. If you go with Baja Precious avocado oil from Amazon, with subscribe and save it works out to $0.55 per serving. That's $9.70/day if you do 3 shakes. Now Ultra Omega 3 works out to $0.23 per day bring you to $9.93 per day.
   
3. Immersion blender is the way to go. I spent the first month using shaker/blender bottles. It's slow and doesn't always fully mix. Immersion blenders are super easy to clean and it takes me about 3 minutes (or less) to fully clean with hot water and dish soap.
   
   I use a gallon pitcher, add (1.5 cups avocado oil or 2 cups of Darigold heavy whipping cream or 24 tablespoons of melted Kerrygold Irish Grass Fed salted butter), 6 scoops of ketochow, fill it 3/4 of the way full with water, give it 60 seconds with the immersion blender, let it sit for 2 minutes, and do another 60 seconds with the immersion blender. Then it goes into 6 bottles which is good for 2 days worth. I usually do 3 pitchers for 18 total servings, or 6 days.
   
   I normally don't need anything else to get me through the day, but I keep extra stuff in the refrigerator if do need a snack, or I'll replace one of my Ketochow servings with a combo of bacon, eggs, cheese, and veggies.
   
   I am lazy AF so I also regularly visit Costco and buy bags of Babybel cheese minis (regular, white cheddar, and light), packages of Kirkland precooked bacon, and boxes of Kirkland peeled hard boiled eggs. I also buy cauliflower, broccoli, and avocados for snacks. I'll occasionally grab a few rotisserie chickens, cut them in half while they're still warm, and refrigerate them, and have half as a meal when I'm craving something more substantial than Ketochow. 350f for 30 minutes heats them up perfectly.
   
   I recommend https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/ to figure out your macros and deficits and cronometer.com to track your dailies.
   
   I've lost 31 pounds in just under 3 months eating mostly just 3 ketochow servings a day with a few supplements (omega 3, magnesium, fiber capsules). Started at 210 and I'm now 179 (46m, 5'10", goal weight 170, possibly 160).
   
   The only downside I've encountered is having to buy a bunch of sealed bottles (and having to wash them).

If you pay yourself minimum wage for the time it takes you to mix a couple pounds to trace by hand, you can buy a stick blender.

An entry level one (which works fine) is less than $15.

https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-59738A-Proctor-Silex-Blender/dp/B00TJTASYG/

Base: Protein powder, milk, rolled oats

optionals: frozen blueberries, spoonfuls of peanut butter, bananas...dont be afraid to experiement.

Also, it helps that Syntha-6 tastes amazing all by itself...

Also, use a hand blender. Something like this It's my most used appliance.

Good point, sparxout. Everyone needs an Immersion Blender, especially a college student. They are cheap and very handy!

I like my Cuisinart (I have the older version of this one)

I’m going to be that guy and give you an answer that doesn’t actually address your question. We did the research too when moving to solids and found that nothing really replaced the price and peace of mind of making our own food at home.

I’d steam some peas, carrots, broccoli, whatever vegetable and mix it with a little bit of apple sauce or avocado and blitz the whole this with a hand blender like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI

Doesn’t take any time at all and you can make a couple of batches that will keep for about 5-days. Little dude loved it and it didn’t break the bank.

EDIT to add we also would do chicken or beans/lentils in the purée to make sure everything was balanced.

Unless you have reason to specifically want a blender, I'd opt for an immersionn blender. This is the one I have and other than being crap at smoothies (it doesn't do so well with ice) it's powered through everything I've put it to.

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI

One big advantage of a stick blender over a blender is that you can just stick it into the pot you're making the soup in and blend. Then to clean it just repeat in a bowl of soapy water. No dealing with having to blend hot liquids in a blender jug - that never goes well for me.

best thing I have found is an immersion/hand blender.

Then mix it with whatever you want.

• Crystal light
  
• Instant Coffee
  
• Gatorade mix

I was looking into getting one for myself.
Consumer Search seems to think highly of the Cuisinart. Amazon Link.
I haven't bought it yet, so I can't tell you much about it.

I've had this since the beginning of June and use it at least a couple times a week without issue.

You can put it in a regular blender, but I love using what they call an immersion/stick blender (or boat motor). Best multitasking kitchen tool there is!

This is a great version (I have an older Braun model, but I use the blender, whisk, and food processor attachments regularly, so if you get one, get one with all three kinds): http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Blender-Chopper-Attachments-HB-154PC/dp/B000GHF3V8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1325363305&sr=8-7

I have this Cuisinart, got it from 1SaleADay for around $20 and I love love love it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NQE8B0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

looks like it's $25 USD.

When my old Kitchenaid blender broke (I don't think they make the exact model anymore), I got this pricey Breville one and I love it so much. It tackles any job beautifully, and I also end up using the small food processor attachment quite frequently for stuff like summer pestos. It is really expensive though, and for 1/3 the price, this Cuisinart model, which I was also considering, gets just as high reviews.

Applesauce is a good start, so is jam. Just follow the recipe on the pectin jar or in the Blue Book to get started. (I too can not call it the Blue Ball Book without guffawing.) I'm a read and follow directions learner and there's a lot of Getting Started information, so that worked best for me.

I don't use a food mill though. I have a Breville Immersion Blender, which if used on the highest setting takes care of the peels pretty well and is also fantastic for tomatoes and whipped potatoes and I haven't killed it yet after a couple of years of use.

If you blend it, it will take it to the next level! I use an immersion blender with a removable head, like this one. Makes clean up super easy.

I love my Kitchen Aid immersion blender. It doesn't disassemble besides the part with the power button and then the actual blade part, but I find it very easy to clean and have never had any issues.

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KHB1231-2-Speed-Blender-Electric/dp/B005GFXK1K/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1481480436&sr=1-3&keywords=immersion+mixers

$30, easy to wash, perfectly blends protein shakes and bulletproof coffee, highly amazon rated.

• https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KHB1231-2-Speed-Blender-Electric/dp/B005GFXK1K/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1506700490&sr=1-9&keywords=stick+blender

A lot of bad reviews on it. Spend $7 more bucks on this KitchenAid brand one.

Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MMNBBQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MzNjDbTPD75VV

They sell them with attachments that basically act like mini food processors.

Re: expensive ingredients...I agree. Have you tried substituting walnuts instead of pine nuts? That cuts down the cost significantly and I promise it makes almost no difference in taste. I wouldn’t skimp on the Parmesan though.

I have this Kitchenaid 3 Speed and I absolutely love it.

This Is a newer model than the one I use, looks totally different same idea same accessories. Reliable, has never ever given me trouble. Be careful when using it in a non-stick or scratch-prone pot. I mostly use stainless so thats fine.

Use it in place of a blender, for everything but crushing ice. The whisk attachment is a lifesaver when you don't have a stand mixer and need to cream some butter or make some foam.

Fear cuts deeper than swords

OOH I LOVE SCAVENGER HUNTS. Placeholder. I'm working on this. Goodbye sunday night productivity.

EDIT Aug 11, 11:44pm PST

1.) something that is gray.

2.) Something reminiscent of rain. It rains so much in my city and on those days I like to have my tea and soup and all the yummy hot homecooked food at school in the library while I study. I already have a great thermos for my tea and hot cocoa but not for my soups/food.

3.) Something food related that is unusual. I don't know if this is necessarily food related but WOOOO TEA. MANA-TEA. Seriously this is awesome.

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. A wii for my mom because she has been wanting a wii or ipad for a long time. My bro and i think the wii would be better because at least we could all play it together when we go home to visit.

5.) I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It's the book I just finished reading and I feel like it has helped me a lot. I am so much more motivated and driven and it is helping me make some tough choices in my life. I am a senior in college but this book can help anyone who is at any place in their life I think. I currently have this on my wishlist which is like a supplement to the book. Seriously though, read it, share it with everyone you know. Let's make the world a happier place.

6.) An item that is less than a dollar. Awww yeee. They always seem to have one of these on the coffee table at my brother's house. Wherever he lives. Even though it's never his. But yeah, they're cool but I don't actually want one.

7.) Something related to cats. THIS IS SO AWESOME. I have another mug with the disappearing thing on my wishlist too. But yeah, I love cats, I just don't have much cat stuff on my wishlist. I do need a real cat though... hint hint nudge nudge

EDIT Aug 12, 12:15am PST

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. Okay it's not Amazon but it is beautiful and I have had my eye on it for a year. Despite that fact that I do not plan on having children for at least 8 years. Dem hormones are a'ragin.

9.) I know it's not REALLY a movie but... A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Because it is so beautiful and awe inspiring. It really brings me a sense of peace every time I watch it.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. I can put on my holy strainer hat and pray to The Flying Spaghetti Monster to save me from the zombies.

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I know I used this for another one but really, I think doing these exercises would help me in all areas of life.

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. These beauties, even though I doubt I can grow them without a yard...

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? My little acer hand me down freezes a lot, can't do multiple things at once, doesn't have a cd drive, has a screen too tiny to edit photos or edit my website. Basically everything is frustrating. And I'm a college student. So I use the computer for basically everything... and everything the little laptop CAN do takes forever.

EDIT Aug 12, 1:51am PST

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. If you don't think that is big enough, then here, but it's newly added.

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. Well, I'm pretty sure this is smaller than a golf ball. If it wasn't, I'd be disappointed.

16.) Something that smells wonderful. Mmm imagine the ginger lemon grass!

17.) A (SFW) toy. And here's another one because I couldn't decide which one looks more fun...

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. Currently obsessed with learning all kinds of new jewelry techniques! Also obsessed with tea because it's the one thing my boyfriend and I developed an interest in together. It didn't start out as either of our interests.

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. THIS IS SO PRETTY AND USEFUL AT THE SAME TIME. Seriously so cute, has lovely details, 8gb, and you can wear it as a pendant. Whaaaat!

EDIT: this lovely is made in oregon!

Since I don't usually need a full-scale food processor, I like having the Kitchenaid immersion blender with a food processor attachment. The immersion blender is helpful for all sorts of things. I have had mine for years.

Ah, sorry to hear that man =( hope you find some things that work well for you.

I would definitely go for soups, get yourself an immersion blender. This is the one I have, I did a lot of research because I use mine so much, and I think this one is a really good buy.

You can put practically anything in to a soup, even chicken or beef, and grind it up. If you don't strain the soup the texture isn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but at least you get flavor and when you're jaw is fucked up that's better then nothing.

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/

This guy ^ has a ton of good soup recipes, but you can find a recipe anywhere online for literally any vegetable and they are quite delicious. Even chilis and stews, just take the immersion blender and blend the fuck out of it. for most recipes, you can literally chuck everything in a pot, let it simmer for awhile, blend it, and you're good to go.

They're anywhere from like, $15-100, depending on how good of one you want. Just depends on what you want to use it for. I do a lot of cooking (or did before my 'lent diet and will again afterwards), so I have this one, but it's essentially the nicest, strongest one out there. (I like to blend ice into my 'lents.)

This one is only like $27 and not horribly reviewed, though I have no personal experience with it. Like most things, you're going to get what you pay for in general, with greater power/reliability, but if you're just using it to get 'lent into solution, you don't need that much power.

I have a full sized food processor, but seldom use it because I have this. It can be used as an electric whisk (I rarely use that), an immersion blender or a food processor.

I make LOTS of cauliflower recipes and this thing gets used almost every day. I make whipped cauliflower, sauces, and soups with the immersion blender. I make cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower rice, salsa, and chopped veggies with the food processor attachment. It's just a great investment.

I found mine on sale at Kohl's and had on of those $10 coupons they send out for free. I think I paid like $25 for it.

I love my stick blender; it's great for blending soups, sauces, even smoothies. I have one that also has a small food processor part to it (like this one https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Smart-Blender-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B00AN9UJ68 but without the whisk attachment, although I wish I had it) and it's all around very practical without taking up a huge amount of space (or money). Although of course, if you think you might need/want a regular size food processor in the future, it might not be worth it.

I'd also suggest a good microplane (box grater is useful, but for grating things like parmesan a microplane is much handier); and a small baking dish (in addition the bigger one mentioned, for things like vegetable sides). But then again, it all depends on what you like to make! If you're consistently slicing potatoes for gratins, for example, then a mandolin is a god-send ... otherwise it can be one of those things that collects dust in a cupboard.

I have a Cuisinart which I got refurbished from Woot for $30. Here's the Amazon link for a new one. It includes a blender cup, small processor attachment and a whip attachment. Easy to clean and never stops working.

Cuisinart Smart Stick 2 Speed Hand Blender, Brushed Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AN9UJ68/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_F2Etyb3VDZDJF

I just got this one for Christmas and I couldn't be happier with it. It's pretty powerful, and comes with some awesome attachments.

It even comes with a little measuring cup that the head of the blender fits perfectly into, I've used it to make Kenji Lopez's 2 minute mayo a few times now!! Also, a mini food processor for salsa or making marinade pastes, and a whisk for making whipped cream the easy way!

Yeah! Let the cream cheese sit out for a bit to get to room temp.

If I could do it again, I'd buy this guy:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AN9UJ68

I recently got This Cuisinart and so far I love it. I've used it to make soup and chop fruit/veggies/nuts with no issues.

Awesome! That's what I use too and this immersion blender works awesomely.

>The goal is basically to have:

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9XWRWRHPSPTG9Y3S5VYG

I like this one that I have:

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9XWRWRHPSPTG9Y3S5VYG

An immersion blender, setup/cleanup are easy and fast

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410885139&sr=8-1&keywords=immersion+blender

Buy one of these and make your own. It will taste a lot better, and be better for you. Tomato, garlic, red onion, lime juice, salt. That'll get you started. Buy a jalapeno or two, strip out all the seeds and ribs on the inside - that'll take away most of the heat. Still too hot? Drop down to a Anaheim or poblano (handy, dandy, chart).

Try making your own mayo. I didn't like it before, but after learning that the ingredients in mayo aren't actually that offensive, and that home-made mayo is much tastier, I add it to salads I wouldn't have added it to before. An immersion blender really helps this.

Use a blender, food processor, or a mixing wand; http://www.amazon.com/Conair-Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463390888&sr=8-1&keywords=mixer+wand

I don't know if this is Better than your old berville, but I can say it does a better job on my cashew sauce than my $200 + dollar KA food processor. I use it to puree my soups, make homemade dressings, and mayonnaise, and mix marinades etc. Mine does not have whisk attachment but you can buy models that do I have a 200 watt Cuisinart Smart Stick I have this one. I have had this blender for about 7 years so far it's still running Great. I don't use it every week, but some weeks It gets a work out. when I batch cook and am making stuffing for the month or week stuffing to freeze etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_3?

this one looks nice

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-85FR-Speed-Blender-Renewed/dp/B01DYXUQLM/ref=sr_1_6?

I've been lucky, my immersion blender fits perfectly into some glass working jars we got from Crate and Barrel. Then can just slap the lid on and call it good. Items below for reference, i think the jars are sold all over the place.

Jars - https://www.crateandbarrel.com/set-of-12-large-working-glasses/s643663

IB - https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/

Here is one on Amazon. Mine is like 20 years old lol, so I don't have a link to it. It's basically a hand held blender

That or an immersion blender. They're cheaper than their bigger cousins and almost as good for tough stuff like ice or frozen bananas. We have this one in my kitchen and it works great. Spend the remaining $60 on protein and peanut butter and you have a bulker's dream.

Plus when you're not using it for shakes you can make some kickass soups! What's not to love?

> Recommended blenders? Preferably one I can make smoothies with.

Best thing I ever did was get a stick blender for my protein shakes. I make the shake right in the cup that I want to drink from and don't dirty another blender container. Cleanup of the stick blender takes about 15 seconds.

This is the one I got. It is also bad ass for making homemade soups. :) http://www.amazon.com/Conair-Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1456868940&sr=8-8&keywords=kitchenaid+hand+blender

I have made banana ice cream with an immersion blender plenty of times! You can make pesto in it but I prefer a mortar and pestle, You can make pico in it, but I generally think pico gets ruined if you use any sort of blending/processing. If you want easy clean up, I'd get an immersion blender- it's great for soups and blending directly on the stove top! Theres a cup you can use to make the banana ice cream. If you want to do bigger batches, I'd get a cheap processor - great for making things like hummus, grating cheese and veggies, dough, etc.

This is the $45 processor I have and I like it.

This is the $30 immersion blender I have and also like.

You can make Greek Island style Frappe in around 45-60 seconds, maybe less.

All you need to do is put 2-4 spoons of the coffee mix in a cup(Note that is the exact brand/mix you need)

Put in 2-4 spoons of sugar and a splash of milk and then grind it up using this

Then you just add a bit more milk, 4-10 ice cubes and top it off with some water and done.

Vacuum: Shark Rotator (https://www.amazon.com/Rotator-Powered-Lift-Away-TruePet-NV752/dp/B00X7R1FZ2/ref=sr_1_5)

Blender: Immersion blender - blends well, does ice - less to clean since you make whatever you want in the container you're drinking it from! https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_4

Moritaka 240mm AS Gyuto

Catskill 19x14 End Grain cutting board

All Clad Thomas Keller (no relation, unfortunately) 5qt Sauteuse

Bamboo flat spatula, the one on the far right.

Dish washing net cloth. No dishwasher, so it's all hand wash in my house.

Bonus round: Instant read thermometer, Microplane, Immersion blender, SS Mixing bowls various sizes, Stock pot/Dutch Oven

I'd just get the Cuisinart immersion blender. Unless you plan on running it into the ground.

Motha fuckin' immersion blender. We got one (not this one) as a baby shower present to make homemade baby food and have used it at least once a week since we opened it over 2 years ago.

You can puree darn near any vegetable and slip it into sauces, soups, smoothies, etc. You can hide quite a few things in BBQ sauce.

And once you puree you can add food coloring to make it fun! We did a parsnip puree and made it red and blue (my kid's favorite colors) and drizzled it over his mashed potatoes. He ate every bite.

Can he handle hummus? It's a hit-or-miss texture, but if he likes it there are a hundred ways to dress it up and sneak in vegetables.

I'm a big fan of a basic tomato basil soup. An immersion blender is a great investment for things like this, since you don't have to wait for the liquid to cool before blending.

• 1 big (28oz) can whole tomatoes
  
• 1 tsp Chicken or vegetable bouillon powder/paste, or home-made chicken stock
  
• Dried basil, onion powder, salt/pepper to taste
  
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  
  

1. Add the tomatoes to a pan, and crush them with a spoon or potato masher.
   
2. Fill half the can with water and dissolve the bouillon powder or paste, or use the equivalent amount of stock. Add to the pan.
   
3. Bring to a boil, add seasonings, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
   
4. Blend the soup, finish with the whipping cream and butter.
   
   1 can makes about 3 or 4 portions of soup. Goes great with a sandwich or grilled cheese.

Honestly? I got something for around $40 at costco (this one I think http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HB-155PC-Blender-Blending-Attachments/dp/B00DOK0R2O/ref=lp_289916_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1412661542&sr=1-5) and it does everything I want an immersion blender to do. I make great soups, mayonaise, smoothies, etc.

It's never going to cook a soup for me, or make ice cream, but for $40 it's amazing.

I have the blender, but I have noticed, when I use it, my shakes don't thicken as much.

I am going to try a few with the blender, and then just shaking them to see what the real difference is. I bought one from Amazon for like 16 bucks the other day. Now it's like 14.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K05AZQY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's not the best, but if you only use it for less than a minute at a time, and let it rest a bit, it seems to be really decent for the price.

Well the fork ain't workin' neither now, is it Bub? Your mayo didn't de-emulsify, it failed to emulsify in the first place. Kind of like how if you shake up a vinaigrette, it'll look like one substance for a while but after a while the oil and water separate again.

I lived in Germany for 8 years, where it's impossible to buy mayo that isn't so sweet it's more like a dessert. So I had to learn how to make the stuff. It ain't easy, but there's a lot of websites and recipes out there that make it sound like it is. Any number of things can do wrong. Ingredients too cold? Won't emulsify. Barometric pressure. Look out your window, do you see storm clouds comin'? You're not makin' mayo today. Mayo is a fickle mistress; each day that she allows your mixture to emulsify is a gift. The first thing to learn about mayo is that you have to approach mayo with an air of humility, and you, pal, with your I-shouldn't-have-to-do-that attitude, have got a lot to learn. Damn millennials.

So let me tell you everything I know about mayo. I can make it 100% of the time with a stick blender. I can make it 100% of the time in the food processor. I can make it 50% of the time in the blender, following the exact same steps each time. Forget this fork business. It's never gonna happen. I know you saw someone do it on YouTube but that person isn't you. It's never going to happen. Say it out loud. It's never going to happen. It's never going to happen. Meanwhile, look at this video of someone doing it with an immersion blender:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CECEW1aE5ls

So easy, even a paleo dieter can do it. And look at this, here's one for $12: https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-59738A-Proctor-Silex-Blender/dp/B00TJTASYG/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1480862126&sr=1-7&keywords=immersion+blender

Just imagine all the delicious mayo you can make, easy as pie, for a $12 investment. Not buying it from the store, you'll recoup that cost in savings before too long.

The oil. Forget olive oil. I know we love it and it's healthy etc etc but it doesn't emulsify well. Go with canola, or sunflower, or whatever vegetable oil the supermarket's got. If you must have some olive oil flavor, you could do a 25% mixture of olive/vegetable oil and it'll probably come out OK. And more than that, and your mayo is going to get less fluffy and more gloppy. (I'm assuming a one-cup-of-oil recipe here.)

Egg. You need two egg yolks. Read some recipe that said just one? I DON'T GIVE A SHIT. Two yolks greatly increases the chances of your mayo coming together successfully. (Just the yolk. Keep the white for mixing into tomorrow morning's eggs or, if you're feeling adventurous: meringue! (Souffle?)).

Mustard. It'll also greatly raise the chances of your mixture emulsifying if you put in two teaspoons of mustard. I'm sure there's a reason but I don't know what it is. It does impart a flavor to the mayo so pick one you like. I know you were trying this without mustard. You're playing with fire.

Citrus. One tablespoon of lemon juice'll do ya. Many recipes say two, but I find the mayo tastes overpoweringly lemony then, and I've never had problems lowering it to one tablespoon. But it does seem like some kind of acid is necessary. In a pinch you could use a neutral white vinegar, even the kind from the big jug under the kitchen sink that you use to clean the counter. I see you were going for lime juice. I've done this before with success, but be warned that the lime has a stronger flavor in the final product. (This can be great if that's what you're going for though; chop up some cilantro and a little chili in your mayo with it.)

Salt. 1/4 teaspoon of whatever kind.

Garlic. If you want. (And when I make mayo, I want.) I usually go 2 cloves, sometimes 3. But I love garlic.

THAT IS THE BLANK CANVAS UPON WHICH YOU SHALL PAINT YOUR MAYO.

Immersion blender. Put it all in a cup and let the oil float to the top and the other things sink to the bottom. Put the immersion blender all the way to the bottom and pulse it several times. VOOM. VOOM. VOOM. VOOM. Is the noise it will make as you pulse it. You'll notice that milky-colored oil will be ejected from the end of the blender with each pulse. Keep going, but now it's OK to make the pulses a bit longer. VOOOOM. VOOOOM. VOOOOM. Keep increasing the duration of the pulses and eventually it'll look like you're not making progress anymore, with the end of the blender down at the bottom of the cup, so start slowly drawing it up while still pulsing. When you get to the of the cup, it'll mostly look like mayo with some loose oil floating around here and there. At this point, you may hold down the button on the blender and just go to town, working it up and down in the mayo, until it's all lookin' proper.

Food processor: Put all the non-oil ingredients into a cup and mix them together into one consistent slurry. Turn on the food processor and pour them in, watching them hit the whirling blades below and spatter onto the inside sides of the food processor. Put the oil into some kind of cup that you can easily pour from. (I have measuring cups with little spouts on them.) Pour the oil into the food processor slowly. The stream of pouring oil should be about as thick as a hay. (You know, a hay? Hay, the stuff horses eat? What is a single one of those called anyway? Just a hay? A straw of hay? You know what I mean.) Because pouring this slowly means you can only tilt the cup a little bit, the oil will probably stop pouring out directly and begin clinging to the outside of the cup, trickling down to the lowest point before dripping off from there. So, watch out for that. Don't make an oil-mess. As you pour, it won't begin to really look like mayo until you've added maybe 80% of the oil.

Blender is basically the same as the food processor, except half the time it mysteriously just doesn't work.

OK, at this point you can add some fancy aromatics to your mayo. I usually like chopped rosemary, though cilantro and parsley are also favorites. This is also the point at which you'll want to stir in some coarse black pepper (FRESHLY GROUND, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD) so you can easily judge visually when you've got enough. Dash of cayenne? Don't mind if I do! You get the picture.

And finally, a warning. No, I'm not talking salmonella from raw eggs! The danger is that once you realize the difference between home made mayo and store-bought mayo, YOU MIGHT JUST NEVER GO BACK.

It's not hard to find those for under $20.

I have an immersion blender on my wishlist because there is a really good recipe for butternut squash sweet potato slowcooker macaroni chili (Edit: I mixed up the recipes). that requires a blender and I don't have a blender.

Edit again: Ok. I'm all over the place. I think it was some kind of butternut squash pasta. The chili doesn't need a blender.




Alternatively, on my "fitness stuff" list I have something called a chalk ball. I go bouldering 3 times a week and if you don't know, chalk is used when climbing to help with friction or something like that... but anyways, it'll make it easier for me to bring chalk to the gym with me without the risk of spilling chalk everywhere.

I have the Braun Multiquick 7 (MQ777) and it’s definitely good for the two of us. But I mostly cop my veggies, I can chop faster than getting the blender out and cleaning it afterwards ;) but it’s great for carrots (carrot cake) cucumber salads etc. I use the “zoom zoom” mostly for soups and smoothies without ice cubes :)

I have one from Braun too and I LOVE it. I don't have one complaint. It's pretty powerful and easy to clean, very easy to switch between attachments if I have a lot of things going on at once. I use the blender and food processor attachments the most. The food processor comes with a few different blades so you can use it to slice veggies, grate cheese, or just like a normal chopper. I love that it can take the place of nearly any kitchen appliance.

https://smile.amazon.com/Braun-MQ777-Multiquick-Blender-Black/dp/B01EA5ZZHS/ref=pd_sbs_79_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01EA5ZZHS&pd_rd_r=ZQANVE08DZCCR7AJYEAT&pd_rd_w=Yklnt&pd_rd_wg=SJjYG&psc=1&refRID=ZQANVE08DZCCR7AJYEAT

I got this one, works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Ultra-Stick-Immersion-Multi-Purpose-Attachment/dp/B075X1KPLZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1524770094&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Mueller+Austria&dpPl=1&dpID=411uVgGBg5L&ref=plSrch

Mueller Immersion Blender works great for me!

I think smoothies are a really great idea. A blender works, or an immersion blender like this one! Also, you should definitely check your local goodwill and craigslist - you can definitely find a working microwave for $10-$20, and that is definitely worth it if you can save a lot of time making oatmeal, reheating dinner, and heating breakfast things!

The folks at Modernist Cuisine discovered the sweetest of tricks, which is that the addition of sodium citrate to melted cheese stabilizes it and keeps it from re-hardening. This means that you can make a sauce or dip that has the consistency of alfredo or nacho cheese or Velveeta or cheese whiz, from any cheese including delicious high quality ones, and get a stable, creamy result that still maintains all the delicate nuance and strength of flavor of the good cheese you used to make it. You can also use a variant of this recipe to make American cheese style slices that melt easily but taste like, well, real, good cheese.

on Amazon:

sodium citrate, enough for a long time, $15 and free shipping

a digital scale that measures in hundredths of grams, $36.60, free shipping

immersion blender, $15.83 and free shipping.

This puts you at roughly $66. If you decide you want to throw a few more bucks into it, or he already has an immersion blender or something, get him some nice cheese to melt.

... If you wanted some non-food-related ideas, I love this product and have just been waiting for the right occasion to give this to someone.

One of my biggest defining moments was when I realized the sexual abuse I experienced as a child could in no way define who I am as a person.

[I_define_me] (http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-59770-Turbo-Twister-2-Speed/dp/B00008IH9S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1TXT7ADV3OFZM&coliid=I3O1365ISZOM59)

The hand blender is much better. If you do the jar/thermos method, you just have to ensure you have a good lid.

This particular hand blender is the best for making BPC in my opinion. Other blade encasements cause the liquid to spin up the sides of the mug and make a complete mess. This particular one sucks down to the bottom of the mug and pulls the liquid down. Much cleaner. http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-59770-Turbo-Twister-2-Speed/dp/B00008IH9S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404425361&sr=8-2&keywords=Hamilton+Beach+hand+blender

You need this hand blender!! I seriously love mine.

And I need [cards against humanity!](
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004S8F7QM/ref=aw_ls_4_4?colid=14SPA7I9GET4Y&coliid=I3D4YKYXDEAPVO)!

"Immersion blenders" such as THIS model , intended for kitchen use, brag about having 200 Watt motors. Here is ANOTHER one that lets you

> Choose from five variable speed settings, from 7,000 rpm to 15,000 rpm, plus a 17,500 rpm TurboPulse setting

However, they are probably designed to stir more than 1 liter of liquid, of much higher viscosity than water (think: pureed chickpeas), at much faster velocity than you are interested in. You can probably treat these as an upper bound.

I recommend this.

Whipped cream makes a fantastic (and super easy) keto dessert. You can sugar-free flavored syrups for flavor - they're usually next to the coffee at supermarkets. Get yourself one of these and you can whip up cream in less than a minute.

boil water in a large pot, 60% full, and cook spaghetti. Cooking time will be on box.

take a large-ish teflon pan, put a silver-dollar's worth of E.V. Olive Oil, and some chopped garlic (you can buy it in a jar in olive oil), heat it in the pan for a minute, coating surface.

throw in some chicken, cut into bite-size pieces (sausage works too), fresh greenbeans (or any veggi), cook until browned medium-low heat, add some salt, and basil while cooking, mix in pan with a plastic spatula (always use plastic on teflon. it scratches)
add fresh baby spinach at the end for a minute and a half (it cooks down A LOT so add way more than you think you need)

add some heated tomato or vodka sauce OR, a nice alternative:
put 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spoonful of chopped garlic, and a spoonful of tomato sauce in a bowl. Chop with a wand mixer, and mix in very well into pasta. You may want to add more or less of this.

The whole thing takes 20 minutes, and it's delicious.

How has nobody mentioned an immersion blender yet?

Shove it in, pulse trigger, enjoy.

You may need to either let the tomatoes cook out a bit longer for more juice or add water. Another option is to use an immersion blender (a blender on a stick). For example: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI

Caramelizing onions definitely help, but it depends on what type of curry. Indian Curry is much different than Thai Curry. The Thai Curry I made doesn't use onions at all.

Here's the recipe:

Crockpot Thai Chicken Curry

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 5 minutes 3 hours | Servings: 4 people | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz) can full fat coconut milk
  
• 1/4 cup almond butter
  
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless/skinless
  
  

  Toppings/Extras
  

• Red bell peppers, sautéed (optional, but recommended)
  
• Chopped Cilantro for topping
  
• Nuts for topping (roasted but unsalted if possible)
  
• Sliced green onions for topping
  
  

  Directions:
  

  
  Whisk together sauce ingredients: coconut milk, almond butter, red curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, chicken stock, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes directly in the crockpot.
  
  Cut chicken into large, bite sized chunks and add to crockpot.
  
  Spoon sauce over the chicken, so it's fully submerged.
  
  Cook in crockpot on LOW for 3 hours.
  
  Serve immediately with sautéed bell peppers over rice. Top with chopped cilantro, nuts (e.g., cashews/peanuts), and sliced green onions.
  
  Notes: Generally, I double this at least. I quadruple this for a large crockpot. This can be cooked on the stove in less time if the chicken is already cooked.
  
  Recipe based on the one here, but modified: http://showmetheyummy.com/crockpot-thai-chicken-curry/
  
  ----------
  
  I used lemon juice instead of lime and green curry past instead of red but it still had that same wonderful taste. I also added in cauliflower to the crockpot to help extend it and add in another veggie. You pour the sauce on rice or other veggies (I used green beans instead of rice this time). I also diced the bell peppers and placed in the crockpot instead of sauteing them to place on the rice later.
  
  Also of note, instead of whisking, I use an immersion blender such as this to make things easier.
  
  Hope you enjoy this recipe!!

I use an immersion blender like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291916788&sr=8-1 except I don't think mine is as nice. Very handy because there are no extra dishes and the immersion blender cleans much easier than the pieces of my blender.

Hi! Welcome!

Well you probably don't need cold process AND melt and pour samplers. If you're a hands on kinda person (like me), you're gonna love cold process soap making, and (IMO) melt and pour almost feels like cheating at that point :).

You didn't mention equipment, so I'll go over that

1. you'll need a stainless (preferably) pot with high enough sides to not splash. Something like this although you could probably go smaller (depending on how large of batches you want to make. I prefer my pots on the large side because it gives me more room to be sloppy when I mix.
   
   
2. Pick up a hand mixer like this. This isn't 100% necessary, but sooooo worth it. I picked mine up at a flea market for 5 bucks. Check goodwill or salvation army. Having one of these turns 30-40 minutes of stirring into 3 minutes of blending.
   
   
3. For cold process, pick yourself up a couple of good wine and beer thermometers. These are nice because they measure in 2 degree increments. You can use any other food thermometer, this is just my preference.
   
   
4. Make sure you go to the grocery and pick up some good thick gloves and some safety goggles. Lye is an amazing chemical, but can burn the hell out of you if you're not careful. better safe than sorry.
   
   
5. When you get ready to pour your soap into the mold, you're gonna want to have it lined with some freezer paper. Don't use wax paper. If you use wax paper, you're gonna have a bad time.
   
   
6. It is very important to pick up a scale. Everything in soap-making is measured in weight, not volume. I'll repeat that, EVERYTHING IS MEASURED IN WEIGHT. If you find a scaled that weighs in lbs and oz, you'll have to a lot fewer conversions in your head.
   
   
   That being said, don't let that list scare you, like I said, I picked up most of my gear from thrift stores and flea markets. Soap making is fascinating and well worth the effort. Enjoy!

I've only been drinking bulletproof coffee for a week but I love it. It gives me the energy I desperately need. I use 1 Tablespoon regular salted butter, 1 Tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil, 12 oz black coffee, 1 packet Splenda. I blend mine with a stick blender I received as a gift. If you're on a budget, and I'm assuming you are because you're in college, get a small personal blender like This One. I've read a lot of posts on bulletproof coffee and it seems Kerrygold butter is best. And the MCT oil, Coconut oil contains MCT so I just use that. It works for me, I love it.

I make a couple days worth of shakes at a time (so, 4-5). I dump everything into a pitcher, and go at it with an immersion blender like this. It's cheap, and when you're done you just have to clean the wand and you're finished. No extra parts or dishes to wash.

I got an immersion blender three years ago and I've never looked back. I use it about once a month to blend soups or make pudding; I consider it an invaluable, if infrequently used, part of my kitchen.

I bought the Cuisinart CSB-76 from Amazon. I've only used it once but it seems to work great.

I actually posted this on another thread a while back-
I did this a couple of years back, but it was probably still the stupidest thing i've ever done in my life. I had just gotten one of those crazy cool hand-held chopper things with all these fancy connections (that one there on the right was the culprit), and one day while i was making dinner, i was already super tired and dragging, but like a freaking idiot, i stuck my finger in between the blades to get out all the extra pieces of onion and celery that were in there and i accidentally pressed down on the blend button. It was only on for maybe a half a second, but it was enough to cut halfway through my fingernail, almost to the bone. My nail is back to normal, but I still hate myself a little bit for being THAT much of a moron.

Toaster Oven Pizza:
Buy a toaster oven with a pan rack (most come with both the pan and a traditional bar rack).

Buy pizza dough (most groceries sell dough, otherwise plenty of pizza places sell dough--super cheap!)

Strain salsa until it's nice and thick. Green Mountain Gringo: Roasted Garlic is my favorite.

CORNMEAL. Put cornmeal on the pan. Stretch the dough (usually half the dough from a store/pizzaria will work, otherwise just a piece of dough the size of an orange, or your fist, will do.

Put the strained salsa down on the dough in the pan.

Put cheese on it (and whatever else you want)

Bake at 400 degrees (bottom and top parts of the oven on) for 15 minutes.

Eat. Yum.

Also, buy easy Risotto packages. Those are delicious and take about 10 minutes of cooking. You can add chicken or whatever to it. To cook chicken, simply buy a breast and cut it up into morsels, splash in lemon juice mixed with pepper and salt, maybe some hot sauce of your choice. Pan-fry in shallow butter on a skillet at medium heat until the chicken looks cooked. If the pieces are small, it's fine. With larger pieces, check the inside to see if it's all the right color.

Eggs: An awesome trick to fried eggs you never have to flip: when you would normally flip (when the white stops being runny) take a teaspoon of water and add it to the edge of the pan and IMMEDIATELY cover the pan for 30 seconds. The steam will cook the top. BAM. And always spice your egg right after you crack it into the pan. A little salt, a little pepper, a little thyme = just fine.

Veggie Burgers: Morning Star. You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these. Chic Patties, Griller's prime, etc. All good. Good protein, etc. Put 'em in your fancy new toaster oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Put two slices of bread in the toaster oven, put some cheese on the bread...toast for 4-5 minutes. Add condiments of your choice (I honestly love putting cream cheese and potato chips on mine, but do whatever you want). BAM!

Pasta! Can't get easier than pasta. Different things you can do with pasta: Marinara is classic, but to make it interesting, add a spoonful of some cottage cheese and Parmesan to make a delicious vodka sauce.
Alfredo sauce: melt butter in the pot while the noodles are draining. Add a little milk (1/8 cup will do) and pepper. Add whichever cheeses you fancy, a little at a time, constantly stirring. Real chefs will say you should add a bit of flour to the butter but that's never made a full-flavored sauce for me. Just stick to the melted cheese/butter/milk/spices, but make sure you go in order: butter, then milk, spices, then cheese--slowly. And stir it.

Just because I love you:
Delicious and easy Red Pepper Bisque

Requirements:

4 red bell peppers

3 yellow onions, base-ball sized

1/2 stick butter, salted

1 box of chicken or veggie broth

4-5 cloves of garlic (cloves are the little bits you break off a heel)

1/4 cup cream or whole milk, depending on how rich you want it...please don't use skim.

An immersion blender. These things are effing awesome. Good for shakes/smoothies, good for soups, not expensive.

2 Tbsp hot sauce, optional

1] Slice up your red peppers to thin (1/4 inch) strips, toss the seeds and all. Put them into a large frying pan with 1/4 stick of butter, season with a pinch of salt. Heat: medium-high, stir frequently. They're done when they're very flimsy and slightly yellowed from the original deep red color

2] Transfer those to a large cooking pot, and slice your onions up to a similar size--do the same to them as you did to the peppers--add butter, add a pinch of salt, stir frequently.

3] While the onions are going, chop your garlic up into dime-sized slices. When the onions are slightly browned (caramelized) and smell good, add the garlic to the pan and go for another 2 minutes. Everything there should be nice and flimsy, and smell awesome.

4] Add that to the pot with the peppers. Add 1 full box of broth (should be 32 oz), and boil (with a lid!) for 30 minutes.

5] Turn the heat off: Immersion blender time! Puree until it's all nice and uniform. Add the cream, and blend again.

6] Add hot sauce to taste. Not too much...just a subtle burn is where you want it.

Sooo delicious. Feel free to have it with bread, put a dab of sour cream on it, etc. Feel free to replace the garlic with roasted garlic, too--no need to put it in the pan--it can go straight to the pot.

Even easier: Cheddar Ale soup:

Req:

1 bottle of your favorite ale (or any medium-body beer, but ale is best)

3/4 lb of shredded white extra-sharp cheddar.

1 cup milk

2 cups chicken/veggie broth

1] In a medium pot, boil broth, slow to simmer, add the milk, and slowly, gently pour in the beer -- watch out for the foam :d

2] add the shredded cheese, bit by bit, and stir constantly until everything's nice and soupy. Add some black pepper, and to make it look at least slightly healthy, slice up some chives and top with them.

You're done. Some people like to add bits of bacon. Up to you. Eat with a hearty grain bread. This is not a low calorie meal. It's just delicious.

A little pricey, but my sister always has a box of These at the house. They're pretty damn nomalicious, and dairy and gluten free.

This, or this would be nice.

I recommend just buying an inexpensive stick blender. It will mix it perfectly and it's easy to rinse off. It's also good for making sauces and soups.

Home.

Buy:

• Hamilton Beach 2 Speed Hand Blender
  
  
• Adcraft Stainless Steel Full Size Bar Shaker, 30 oz. 7"
  
  
• Fruit and ice
  
  Profit!
  
  Nom nom nom
  
  But seriously. I got this for Christmas and it is better than my Ninja processor. Super ridiculous easy to clean.

this gif makes me laugh every time! that poor mother cat!


this if you have prime (21.86) or this for my son if you do not (20) ;)

I bought this Breville one almost 5 years ago and use it at least 3 times a week.

If between your choices, I would go with the immersion blender. It's a lot more versatile. I have this one that can double as a mini food processor.

This sounds like a very good list of essentials. However, I would eliminate the blender and food processor, and instead get a handheld immersion blender (this is mine). I find it to be MUCH more versatile and convenient. It does lack a bit of the functionality that a food processor has, but there are ways to make up for that, and food processors that do their job well anyway end up being very expensive.


If you have a normal oven, I've never seen the need for a toaster oven, and a mixer is only worth the money (IMO) if you're a bigtime baker. If you're baking bread once a week or something, I don't think it's worth it to cut out the kneading by buying a machine, especially if there are ways to reduce kneading like making pre-ferments.


One somewhat expensive item (potentially) that I would hate to be short of is my LeCreuset dutch oven. They don't HAVE to be expensive, though. You can quite frequently find them at TJ-Maxx or similar stores for ~$50, especially if you can identify some unimportant paint imperfection. From what I hear, though, Lodge dutch ovens perform just as well and are a lot cheaper right off the production line.


Quick addition: Get a metric shit-ton of 1-pint Ball Jars (canning jars). They're one of the most useful kitchen additions I've come upon in my bachelorhood. If you make soup, stew, curry, whatever, you can quickly steam a few jars in the microwave, fill them, and leave them out to seal. You'll hear the tops pop. While these might not be perfectly canned, I've had them sit in the refrigerator for over a month without any problem. You can then just open the fridge and grab one for lunch when you leave for work. This might be a little bit more ...nuanced, but they're also very useful for making yogurt, and steaming them, as mentioned above, means that the enormous amount of yogurt you make will be able to last in the fridge long after you're sick and tired of yogurt.

Yeah, i use an immersion blender. I have this one. Makes a huge difference

If you need an immersion blender too, you can get one that has a chopper attachment like this:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KHB2351CU-3-Speed-Hand-Blender/dp/B005MMNBBQ

There are a bunch of different brands and I don't know which are the best so the KA may not be the best, I am just pointing out that these are another option for chopping. No slicing or shredding though but immersion blenders are great to have in the kitchen. I use mine all of the time.

I have an Oster It works well but most times I prefer to use my immersion blender I'm not sure if it would work with ice, but it gets things way smoother than a standing blender does.

I grabbed mine at tuesday morning for 20 bucks. I got the chefman 2 speed stick blend, it does the job. But if you want something comes with extra attachment you can go with the KitchenAid KHB2351CU

I got a handheld one which isn't too bad. I don't know what BPC stands for...

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005MMNBBQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No problem. Your post reminded me I also need one so after browsing I think I am going to go with this one.

Now I am also torn with this one. It is 400W more power which I feel would be nice to have.

Fuck.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R2E47Y/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I don't see the cup mentioned unless you bought another product?

I haven't bought it yet so you can link me to it if you want.

One more vote for an immersion blender. I have this one, which has a little bowl attachment with a food processor-type blade. I’ve been very happy with it for both baby and nonbaby uses. https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-79-Blender-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B00AN9UJ68

You could go three ways:
cheapest:

1. crock pot
   
2. gallon zip lock plastic bags
   
3. glad ware or other plastic tipper ware
   
4. optional but handy - cheap food processor
   
   

• almost all food processors come with a slicing/shredding dis. I use the food processor to dice onion, shred cheese, cut tomatoes, generally speed up my cooking, especially when doing batch cooking like this: http://whoneedsacape.com/2012/11/crockpot-freezer-cooking/
  
  zero waste, environmentally and healthfully aware:
  

1. cast iron or stainless steel skillet - this would basically meet all your needs: http://www.costco.ca/Lodge®-5-pc.-Logic-Cast-Iron-Cookware-Set.product.10395556.html
   
2. glass lid lock or WIDE mouth mason jars
   
3. hand blender or food processor
   
   again, for versatility, its not absolutely necessary but certainly speeds things along - hand blenders now come with chopper attachments and aren't cost prohibitive http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-79-200-watt-Immersion-Attachments/dp/B00AN9UJ68/ref=lp_289916_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1393751066&sr=1-2
   
   
   more expensive but complete list would look like this:
   
4. cast iron skillet set above
   
5. food processor
   
6. at least two baking sheets, or you can buy a baking set that includes muffin tins so you can pre make things like egg muffin cups
   
7. roasting pan (cooking at turkey is not hard and makes you feel like a king. Also, roasting veggies is one of the easiest and most delicious sides - any veg, oil, salt, pepper, and 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven. done)
   
8. pyrex glass lock set (at least two - you can bake in them as well)
   
9. a good chef's knife, a paring knife, and a long serrated knife
   
   
   I will say that however you store it, the trick to avoiding freezer burn is avoiding air exposure. For example, if you have a tupperware container half full of chill and you want to freeze it, put a sheet of wax or parchment paper on top before freezing - it will help prevent freezer burn.
   
   This got too long. Hope it helps!
   

I have this immersion blender set and I use it for a ton of different things, since I can chop, whisk, and immersion blend stuff. It makes spending the money a bit more "worth it". Of the three, I think I use the chopping attachment the most, I can make pesto or chop stuff quick to go into meals.

I have this immersion blender set and I use them to make easter decoration (was easter already?).

Morthy:

1. Tea of course! under $10 list.
   
   
2. I wouldn't wear a Totoro outfit in public. Clothes wishlist (but currently unavailable in my size).
   
   
3. Immersion blender phallic. For the New House wishlist.
   
   Akeleie:
   
   
4. I had a hard time with this one, there are many kinds of geek. I would be the most excited if I got this Tachikoma so I went with it. Default Wishlist.
   
   
5. This bonsai wire would let me wire some of my smaller trees. Bonsai/gardening wishlist.
   
   
6. A good saw is a good thing to bring on a deserted island. Bonsai/gardening wishlist.

Since you're in Peds ICU, I expect you'll already know to have one, but a decent first aid kit is one thing you don't want to be without. Also, a fire extinguisher. Hopefully you'll never need them!

Finally, I use this blender/chopper/whisk, in some form nearly every day, and this little slow cooker at least once a week :)

you're a big girl now!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AN9UJ68/ref=psdcmw_289916_t3_B00ARQVM5O

I have this thing, and it's amazing. I can blend soups I can whisk eggs, I can make whipped cream, I can make a smoothie, etc...

But it doesn't beat cake batter. So I have a second tool because this one doesn't have the attachment for batters. If it was a simple universal gear with two affixed beaters that would pop on to the motor unit I would be so happy.

Ergonomically, I think it's better because it's a natural hand grip. If you're short, using traditional beaters can be difficult because holding something like that above your elbow is awkward. These have a more normal hand grip.

And beaters don't need 17 speeds. High and low is all that is needed, on my stick blender, I wouldn't mind a step lower, so three max.

A quick and creamy Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie recipe to kick off your day with a boost of Vitamin C and happiness (and with just 5 easy ingredients!)

​



Prep: 5 mins | Total: 5 mins | Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 4 mandarin oranges (peeled)
  
• 1 banana (sliced and frozen, if possible)
  
• ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt (142 g, or non-dairy alternative)
  
• ¼ cup coconut water (60 mL)
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract ( 5 mL )
  
• 5 ice cubes
  
  

  INSTRUCTIONS
  

  
  

1. Blend all ingredients well, adding more ice as necessary to reach a consistency of your liking.
   
   

   NUTRITION
   

   
   Serving: 1smoothie | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.2g | Protein: 17.2g | Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 105mg | Fiber: 4.8g
   
   source : https://liffe-healthy.com/2019/10/healthy-orange-dreamsicle-smoothie/

I've got an ancient corded Braun that's still going strong, but I've bookmarked this Cuisinart model for future reference. I can't remember specifically where I got the recommendation, but IIRC they rated it highly enough to get my attention.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00ARQVLX2

This. I still hand stir to start just to make sure nothing is clinging to the bottom or sides of the container. 1 minute with that running gets it pretty smooth.

A blender works just fine. Something like this is easy cleanup, which means you are more likely to use it!

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1405087525

I add Creatine, but it's only a spoonful. I use 2 scoops of ON gold standard. Right now it's chocolate, but vanilla is my usual, I screwed up this order. TBH both are acceptable. I mix with about 8-12 OZ water. It's really not that much liquid.

BCAA's are pointless if you eat enough protein.

Pro tip: Use a hand blender like this

First, I would recommend these tasty protein bars. They have two flavors (cookie dough and cookies and cream!) that are net 3 carbs for a bar. I find them to be very filling, and they'd be awesome with a morning coffee.

If you want to do coffee and can handle some fat in the morning I love BPC, and it keeps me full until lunch time.

Everyone seems to have their own take on it, so here's my recipe:

• 12 oz hot coffee
  
• 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 1 - 2 tsp of coconut oil
  
• a few splashes of vanilla extract (the fake stuff)
  
• cinnamon to taste
  
• 1 - 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream depending on how much cream you prefer in your coffee. I find more makes it creamier!
  
  I use a cuisinart stick blender (but mine only has 1 speed unlike the one I linked), to blend it all together. The more you blend it and the more heavy whipping cream you have, the more deliciously frothy it gets.
  
  It tastes like baked goods! I've found I need to be careful with how much coconut oil I put in, when I put in too much it gets this weird oily texture that I hate. But with the right amount its awesome.

If you get a hand mixer and whip the curds to a creamy consistency, it's delicious and completely different. The macros are pretty good as far as protein/carbs ratio too. Add some PB2 or some cinnamon or cocoa powder and some artificial sweetener and you've got a plethora of flavors.

> the results aren't worth the extra dishes to clean

An immersion blender is the only "extra" thing I have to clean when making mayo. I use the jar that will eventually hold the excess mayo for the mixing.

Still have a small jar of Hellman's in my fridge, as some of my friends actually prefer that taste on some sandwiches, but for everything else ... some seconds with my trusty "stick"

I use a stick blender. Works like a charm, cleans up easily.

this is the one I have.

[Cuisinart stick blender] (https://www.amazon.com/Conair-Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1466880943&sr=1-2&keywords=stick+blender)

Use an immersion blender ( https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ ) and a big cup. No need to let it sit overnight.

Just be sure to rinse off the blender head after each use.

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1415725338&sr=1-1&keywords=hand+blender

Pick up one of these when you can. It makes a big difference in consistency. Then add half a banana! You could try banana extract, but I have always just used actual banana. Hopefully somebody else has suggestions based on experience.

I use a hand blender and it mixes well with any liquid and soft fruits like banana. I use it for all my powdered mixes, protein shakes, plant meals. It is similar in design to the frother.;)
http://www.amazon.com/Conair-Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=lp_289916_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1452808900&sr=1-1

get this one

Two things that I use all the time that I don't see mentioned:

Stovetop Smoker. With all the meat I cook, being able to smoke it gives it a whole new depth of flavors without adding any carbs and makes even simple dishes special. Very inexpensive too once you buy the initial smoker. I bough a bunch of different types of wood chips and they've lasted me about half a year now. Even in my small apartment there's hardly any smoke leak (although I do crimp foil around the edges to help keep it in) and I've never set off the smoke detector with it. If you do have an big outdoor smoker this one is nice for doing smaller portions or if the weather's not great outside. Highly recommend it if you like smoked foods.

Vacuum sealer is the other item I use all the time. I like buying certain staples from Costco in bulk (chicken/beef/pork/etc) and being able to portion it out and freeze it has helped cut down on the cost of keto a lot. It's also useful as a good timesaver or to keep food fresh for longer even if you don't freeze it. For example, I often only use about a quarter of an onion in a lot of recipes, but I'll chop the whole thing and seal the rest so it stays fresh for the next few days. I'll then take however much onion I need out the next day and re-seal the bag.

I don't have a brand I recommend over another, I personally have a Rival that I got for Christmas. A lot of people really like Foodsavers and I see them at Costco all the time. They can be inexpensive (~$40) for a basic one or more costly if you want extra features like canning or automatic sealing or different speeds. I do recommend not using whatever brand of bags they tell you to use however. What I do is buy cheap bulk bags such as these and use them instead. Zero problems with them and much cheaper than the brand name ones. I do keep a roll of 'cut your own' around in case I need something bigger, but I find for about 90% of what I do the smaller bulk bags work fine.

If you keep an eye out on meat sales and buy in bulk or buy a lot of meat that's about to expire for cheap, I think the vacuum sealer will pretty quickly pay for itself.

And tossing it out there, one item that's not necessary but in the 'nice to have' category is the immersion blender. Great for thickening soups since we don't add cornstarch or other traditional thickeners, and it's nice for other things like making your own mayonnaise. I also use it for making my own marinara sauce - mine has zucchini and cheese blended in. Again, not necessary and you can probably use a regular blender for this, but the immersion blender is really nice and convenient.

Make sure you get one that comes with a container that fits the head tightly. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed-Chrome/dp/B00ARQVM5O/

I don't know about buying cookware. It's a pretty personal decision. The most useful gift when I moved out was an immersion blender like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ref=lp_289916_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375294914&sr=1-1

I personally would get the following way sooner if I was building my kitchen all over again.

Also if there is a place you can get bulk spices near by I would go there for your spices, because if you havent already noticed spices are pricey at your local megamart.

Lavatools Thermowand - Same form factor as the much more expensive thermopen but at 1/3 the price.

Lodge cast iron skillet - great for searing meats or as a good starting pan.

OXO Bench Scraper - Makes prep work much easier and safer as you don't use your knife to scrape your food off the cutting board.

Immersion Blenders - When you dont want to use your big blender or want to blend something in your pot or pan.

Stainless Steel Cookware - Has a little bit of a learning curve but is great after the fact.

Aeropress - Life is too short to make shitty coffee.

Edit: added a thermometer/spelling

I am actually in love with my stick blender - it's super fast and effective, and waaaaay cheaper than the Vitamix. It makes really smooth baby purees and can do smoothies too, and it can also be used for larger volumes like whole pots of soup (so it's versatile too). I swear I don't work for this company, I just really love the hand blender. :-)

Buy a hand blender to mix your shake!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ARQVM5O/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1422372269&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=31CQ8gYX6NL&ref=plSrch

Oooo get them a Stick Hand Blender!

Always super fun! And healthy cause SMOOTHIES!!! :D

Thanks for the contest!

I'm only familiar with the Cuisinart ones. There are many models. Like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HB-155PC-Stainless-Blender-Silver/dp/B00DOK0R2O

I just cannot afford to pay someone to whip eggs and butter at about $15 a go. I mean I can afford it but,,, I won't anymore. Mines better.

I add Cholula, fresh ground BP and a lot of salt.
My Parents will sit at the same table to get this at a Sunday brunch.
It's so good, and on Palio, Atkins, Keto diets this 100% on program.

The mixer pays for its self after one use.

https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-59738A-Proctor-Silex-Blender/dp/B00TJTASYG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1510707055&sr=8-9&keywords=immersion+blender

Get the chocolate whey, peanut butter, whole milk. this will make it taste like a shake, and not coagulated powder balls. Also greek yogurt + whey = chocolate pudding.

Ooooo I got you.

Standard House Salad: FROM SCRATCH!!!

I did this last weekend. The gist of the recipe is to make your own homemade mayo for use in homemade ranch. That's right mother fucker, H-O-M-E-M-A-D-E mayonnaise

So for the salad we're looking at:

Romaine Lettuce
Bacon
Cherry Tomatoes
Green Onions
Mushrooms
Ranch Dressing
Optional: Croutons(Don't need the extra calories)

So for the mayo, follow this recipe:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/two-minute-mayonnaise.html

If you don't have an immersion blender go buy this one
https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-59738A-Proctor-Silex-Blender/dp/B00TJTASYG/ref=sxts_k2p_hero3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2668835662&pd_rd_wg=lkRxs&pf_rd_r=9C1KR80K3BKBC0WEFPEH&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00TJTASYG&pd_rd_w=qDmqo&pf_rd_i=immersion+blender&pd_rd_r=Q7TSNQ1YF5Q8QTDYZMX1&ie=UTF8&qid=1478648440&sr=3

I'll see you in two days.

Next up after you've got that homemade mayo made, make a turkey sandwich. Homemade mayo turns shitty 1.99/lb lunch meat into a fancy fucking snack.

I based mine off of this:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/homemade-ranch-dressing/



Next up it's time for the ranch.

• 1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
  
• Salt To Taste
  
• 1/4 cup Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
  
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
  
• 1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise
  
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  
• Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
  
• 1 tbs lemon juice
  
• Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste (optional)
  
• Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
  
• Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
  
• Paprika, To Taste (optional)
  
• Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
  
• Tabasco (optional, To Taste)
  
• 1/2 Tsp of MSG
  
  Mix everything together real good and then slowly add the buttermilk to get the consistency the way you want it. Some like it thin, others thick. I'm not your fucking mother so your choices don't matter to me.
  
  Mix it up, place in jar or whatever and chill for at least a half hour. Mix it up again and add more buttermilk if it thickened too much.
  
  Side note: Add the fucking MSG. Its brand is Accent and you can find it in the spice aisle. It makes savory things more delicious. Dumb fucks think that MSG is bad for you. They are wrong and continue to be tricked by propaganda designed by douchebags to get people to spend an extra $2.50 on a can of soup. Seriously. Google it. MSG was the Gluten of the 70s....and 90s.
  
  So anyway.
  
  Fry that bacon crispy and chop up your veg how you want. If your lettuce is a little old, run it under some cold water for a bit to crisp it up. Throw it all together and top with 2 TBS of Ranch and you got yourself a tasty fucking salad. All in all it's probably about 600 calories, delicious as fuck and pretty easy.
  
  

You can get them pretty cheap, there is not much reason to use one that is also used for food. I use this one and there are some more new ones even cheaper on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TJTASYG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Epica.
https://smile.amazon.com/Epica-4-in-1-Immersion-Hand-Blender/dp/B00WIRLXUE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1493242210&sr=1-1&keywords=epica+blender

I use this one here an EPICA 4 in 1 immersion blender.

I love myself stick blender. It's a beast.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WIRLXUE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's one on Amazon for $17. Back in the day they were super expensive but you can get a pretty good one for less than $50. Even Cuisinart has one for $30.

If you don't want to do the drill-attachment, which would probably be the best (even if you stuck a hand mixer attachment to it). You could just get an immersion blender. I've seen it used for probably a gallon or more of other products, so I don't see why it couldn't work for this.

I agree with the shaker though, that removes anything you have to put into the liquid in the first place. And it is probably less maintenance in the long run without having to constantly clean it.

I have this. Will it work?


Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender Heavy Duty Copper Motor Brushed Stainless Steel Finish Includes Whisk Attachment, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075X1KPLZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KEsDDbK7Q54YJ

>I’m sick of feeling meh and low energy all the time due to my diet and sleep being screwed up! Plus my wife and I have our first baby on the way, so I REALLY have to get it together for me and the wife and kid!

So you'll typically get one of three types of babies:

1. A sleeper (note: you'll have to manually wake them up to feed them, they need to eat constantly!)
   
2. A regular kid who wakes up occasionally
   
3. A non-sleeper
   
   I consider sleep to be #1...the #1 natural steroid (up to 75% of your body's HGH is produced when you sleep!), the #1 "vitamin", the #1 source of energy, the #1 source of motivation...screw up your sleep & you're just hosed! Sleep deprivation is an actual form of torture (they even used it in Guantanamo!). So depending on your baby, you may have to implement an alternating sleep plan. If you use formula, great, if not, then get a pump & use bottles so that you can let your wife sleep every other night & so that you can sleep every other night. Stuff like postpartum depression is serious stuff due in a large part to long-term sleep deprivation, so it's really important to babysit your sleeping situation both for your sake & your wife's sake!
   
   >So I’ve created your meal prep system as a GTD project in Todoist and gotten started.
   
   Awesome! 6-pack Fitness makes great bags! So you're setting up what I call a "KPR Stack":
   
   
4. Reminder
   
5. Procedure
   
6. Kit
   
   Whenever you have a recurring situation that you have to deal with, like eating better, you need a KPR Stack to help you Git Good. From an execution level, mine is pretty simple:
   
   
7. Reminder: I have multiple alarms to remind me when to eat during the day. I just get busy & will space it sometimes. I eat smaller-sized meals & snacks throughout the day to keep my energy up (or something like Soylent or Sated, if I'm feeling lazy) & just have alarms buzz me to remind me to eat so that I don't go too long without eating & then get an energy dip.
   
8. Procedure: Eat the food. That's it, lol. Note that this involves a support system for meal prep, but that's outside the scope of this post, haha.
   
9. Kit: In this case, that's your lunchbox. So you have a nice, big, insulated, chilled system for carrying your food around all day.
   
   So provided you handle your meal-prep for the day/week/month/whatever, then you can pack your lunchbox in the morning, set your alarms, and then easily be 100% successful every single day at (1) shoveling food into your body at regular intervals to keep your energy high & steady, and optionally (2) meet your macros for the day. I don't want to have to figure out my meals or my macros throughout the day, that's waaaaay too much work to do on a daily basis...I want everything already figured out & prepared ahead of time, so that I just have to execute the next-action, haha!
   
   >I’m going to get the freezer soon, and I’ve read up on a few models of sous vide devices. I love the Mellow, but can’t justify the expense right now.
   
   I'm actually saving up for a second upright deep freezer right now (same model), as my first one has been (1) such a huge cost-savings for us (both from cooking more at home more often, and from being able to buy in bulk, at a discount), and (2) such a ridiculous convenience. I'm planning on basically using one for raw materials (ex. uncooked chicken breast, wings, steaks, burgers, etc.) and then one for partially-cooked or fully-cooked meals. For example, another redditor recently turned me onto these great trays called Souper Cubes:
   
   https://www.soupercubes.com/
   
   I mean, just LOOK at that picture! SOUP BRICKS!! Genius! You can use them for so many things, too:
   
   

• Soups
  
• Stews
  
• Chilis
  
• Bisques
  
• Broths
  
• Stocks
  
• Sauces
  
• Baby food (homemade purees etc.)
  
  On a tangent, if you don't already have one, you may want to pick up an immersion (stick) blender for your Instant Pot. It's like having a blender or food process that you can use directly in the pot, which is super useful for pureeing pressure-cooked foods, especially baby food! I use it for stuff like homemade applesauce, sweet potato bisque, etc. Here's a basic overview:
  
  https://allthenourishingthings.com/make-blended-soup-instant-pot/
  
  Here's a good stick blender: (cook the food in the IP, take the lid off, stick the blender right in the pot!)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Ultra-Stick-Immersion-Multi-Purpose-Attachment/dp/B075X1KPLZ
  
  Down the road, you can soften different veggies & then puree them into baby food if you'd like (those little Gerber containers are like a buck a pop for the same thing!), and then freeze them in a mold like this:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MYE40CO
  
  I also use that mold for copycat Starbucks Egg bites, which you can make in your Instant Pot!

what do y'all think about degassing with a hand blender? hand blender on amazon

I have this

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Blender-Chopper-Attachments-HB-154PC/dp/B000GHF3V8

and I love it. The immersion blender crushes everything, and I love that the set comes with a small chopper/food processor and a whisk attachment that whips really fast. For the price, I'd say its one of the best on the market. Some of the reviews aren't that great, which is weird because my blender has been working perfectly for about two years now. No complaints!

I've had this Cuisinart one for 4 years, and it is still going strong. Love it. Almost never use the chopper attachment or the wisk though.

Also discovered that after use should be washed very soon so the batter or whatever doesn't dry on the blender head - it started to make a complaining sound. Soaked the blending end in warm water for a bit, washed it, and back to normal.

A better pitcher! http://soylent.jacobelder.com/

And a great immersion whisk: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AN9UJ68?tag=jelder-20