A blender is a very useful unit that helps to significantly reduce cooking time. With it, you can grind fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, make cocktails, a variety of desserts, as well as soups and cereals for a child. Can you chop cheese and onions in a blender? Of course. Onions can be used for a variety of purposes, such as minced meat for cutlets, kebabs, and onion soup. How to chop the onion in a blender to prepare these dishes further.

Minced meat preparation

To prepare minced meat for cutlets, you can take fresh meat or frozen, but previously thawed. To grind it in a blender, you need to use only a special nozzle, because otherwise you will get not minced meat, but porridge. In order to grind onions, it is enough to use ordinary knives. How to properly prepare meat for cooking minced meat for cutlets? For this you need:

• remove all veins, films and tendons;
• cut it into pieces of about 3 cm;
• cool them down a little in the refrigerator;
• add them to the bowl for chopping along with the onion, cut into 4 parts.

If you cut the onion along with the meat, you can get more juicy minced meat. It takes a bit of experimentation to get the meat and onions through the blender the right way. First, the device must be turned on for just a few seconds (see video) and look at the resulting consistency. If it fits, you can remove the minced meat and load the next portion of meat, and if not, turn on the unit for a few more seconds.

After the minced meat is ready, it is necessary to grind white bread, an egg and a little milk in a blender. All this then needs to be mixed with minced meat, salt and pepper. Usually each housewife takes all the ingredients at her own discretion, but so that a homogeneous, but not too liquid consistency is obtained. Thus, it will be possible to get delicious meatballs.

Sauce for barbecue

Onions are one of the most important ingredients in barbecue sauce. It allows you to give the meat a special juiciness and taste. To prepare the sauce, you need to prepare the following components:

• 2 kg of meat;
• 4-5 bulbs;
• 2 lemons;
• favorite seasonings (to spice up, you can use suneli hops and dry adjika);
• salt;
• vegetable oil.

The process of preparing shish kebab and sauce for it is as follows:

• cut the meat into pieces and put in a marinating container;
• peel the onions and cut each into several pieces;
• wash the lemons thoroughly and cut into several pieces along with the peel;
• chop the onion in a blender until a homogeneous slightly liquid mass is formed;
• add lemons to the mass and chop;
• pour a bag of hops-suneli and adjika seasonings into the meat, salt to taste and mix everything thoroughly;
• pour the onion-lemon mass and a little vegetable oil into the container and mix well again.

It is advisable to leave the meat in such a marinade all night. Then the barbecue will turn out to be as juicy and tasty as possible.

onion soup

Onion soup is a national French dish. Today it is eaten not only in France, but also in many other cities of the world. This is not surprising, because it has many useful properties:

• has a large amount of antioxidants that remove toxins from the body;
• helps with diseases of the respiratory system;
• kills microbes;
• enhances the protective properties of the body;
• fills the body with iron, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the circulatory system.

Making onion soup at home is very easy. For this you need to prepare:

• 1 kg of onion;
• 800 ml chicken or meat broth;
• 1 carrot;
• 130 grams of cream;
• 2 tablespoons of flour;
• 1 processed cheese;
• 2 tablespoons of butter;
• a teaspoon of sugar;
• salt, pepper, herbs and croutons.

The process of cooking onion soup is as follows:

• prepare the broth, for this, cook the meat until tender, then add pepper, carrots and onions to it;
• peel and chop the onion in a blender, put it on vegetable oil heated in a pan;
• add sugar, mix everything thoroughly, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes, but do not fry;
• add flour, mix everything thoroughly and remove from heat;
• remove all vegetables and meat from the broth, discard the vegetables, and the meat can be used for cooking other dishes;
• bring the broth to a boil and add the onion mixture to it, cook over low heat for about 20 minutes;
• add melted cheese;
• after complete dissolution of the cheese, add cream, herbs, salt and pepper to taste;
• bring the dish to a boil and turn off.

After all the above steps, the onion soup should cool down a bit. Then it can be chopped in a blender and served to the table, decorated with crackers.

The immersion blender has long been in the kitchen, but not all women are familiar with its capabilities. From this article, you can find out what you can do with an immersion blender and what advantages it has.

Advantages and Features

Most housewives compare blenders with food processors, so they believe that they do not need the first option. However, despite the similarity of the devices, they have numerous differences.

Blender Benefits:

• in this device there are options not only from a food processor, but also from a mixer, along with a manual “crusher” for creating mashed potatoes;
• the unit has small dimensions, which indicates its mobility;
• fast assembly;
• since the device has knives, you do not need numerous nozzles;
• high performance.

What a blender can do:

• finely chop vegetables, fruits, meat in any form (except frozen);
• to make mashed foods;
• produce mixing components to create a sauce, mayonnaise, cocktail.

To puree tough foods, you will need to first cut them into small pieces by adding a little water. With the help of this manipulation, the device will easily turn products into a puree state.

If you have acquired a submersible model, then you can use it to grind different types of vegetables and fruits in any containers. Such a blender has a small size, many options, and can turn any food into a puree in a short time. Such a device will be indispensable if you regularly make soups, smoothies or various sauces.

How to use

Many manufacturers recommend using the device in order to grind not very hard types of products. This suggests that it is not necessary to grind crackers, coffee beans and frozen pieces of meat in the device. However, there is a little trick. For example, if your recipe says to use small pieces of celery root, add a small amount of liquid to the bowl.

As a rule, in the configuration there are special cups or glasses into which the products are loaded. If you plan to use other bowls, be aware that splashes will occur during use of the device.

The minimum loading mark should cover the lower leg, which is engaged in cutting. It is also impossible to engage in cutting freshly boiled raw materials. Wait until the food has cooled to at least 70 degrees. Before whipping, you should check vegetables and fruits for the presence of seeds. If you cannot decide what speed to use the blender at, start with the minimum gear, gradually increasing the number of revolutions.

If your device has a whisk, it is designed for whipping egg whites. Stationary blenders do not have this feature. In this matter, submersible models bypass stationary ones.

How to choose

To choose the most suitable immersion blender model, you need to start from some characteristics. Take into account the following parameters:

• power level. This indicator affects the speed of work. The higher the power, the less time you spend on grinding;
• additional fittings. Many manufacturers offer interchangeable nozzles complete with units. There are models with a whisk, an ice pick, with special knives and other additions. Decide what you will do with the device, then choose a blender;
• weight. Submersible devices will always be in the hand, so this item is significant. Get the device that is comfortable for your use;
• material from which the "leg" of the device is made. The strength of the material affects the reliability. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the fact that metal models will have a more significant mass;
• the presence of containers. Although the blender can be used in any pot, manufacturers add several bowls to the kit. Glass and plastic bowls are convenient because you do not need to look for suitable dishes for whipping or slicing. There are also special containers for chopping, whipping or cutting solid foods.

You should choose an immersion blender with all responsibility in order to be satisfied with your purchase. If you make the right choice, then this device will become a reliable ally in the cooking process.

Nozzle functionality

Each blender may have several types of nozzles. Many housewives are wondering: what is the purpose of this or that type of nozzle.

There must be a nozzle on the leg. It helps to purée different types of foods and also mixes the ingredients for the sauce. Some devices are equipped with a special whisk, with which you can beat eggs, and there is also a bowl with a small mill knife. This addition will help chop nuts, as well as grind meat with vegetables.

There are devices in which there are interchangeable nozzles that cut pieces of different shapes. If you purchase a similar blender, you will get rid of the need to buy a food processor. In stationary devices, there are special nozzles that can break ice. If your manual unit does not have this add-on, then it cannot be used for frozen water and juice.

Care

Every piece of equipment needs to be taken care of. Blender is no exception. The area where the motor and gearshift is located must be wiped from above with a damp sponge. It is strictly forbidden to immerse this part in water or load it into the dishwasher! Parts such as the bowl and interchangeable nozzles can be cleaned under running water. Some models cannot be loaded into the dishwasher, but most nozzles can be washed in this way, which greatly simplifies the cleaning process.

If you have worked with greasy products, you can use liquid detergent, then rinse the parts under water, wipe and dry. Washed and dry components are collected and placed in the place allotted for them. Some blenders are equipped with a self-cleaning function. It allows you to quickly wash the product. At the end of the procedure, you need to remove the water and wipe the blender dry.

Recipes

With this device, you can cook a variety of dishes. There are many delicious recipes that contain different ingredients.

Soup in a blender

You will need 1.5 liters of chicken broth, dried mushrooms, 500 grams of fresh leek, 1 onion, 50 grams of green onions. Also in the recipe there are cream in the amount of 200 grams and 500 grams of potatoes.

First, put the dried mushrooms in the broth for about an hour. Then we put in it peeled and diced potatoes, put on fire. At this time, cut and fry the onion until golden brown, add it to the already boiling water and cook the soup until tender. At the end, add the cream and grind the soup with a blender until smooth.

The blender is a little multifunctional magician that has made it easier for women to work in the kitchen. Smoothies, cream soup, puree for children, fluffy pancake batter, pates - this compact submersible machine will do just fine. The stationary unit has enough power to turn meat into tender minced meat, chop ice for cocktails, chop or grate vegetables (if you have the necessary nozzle) and much more.

But, like any technique, the blender is equipped with a fragile mechanism, and if you use it incorrectly, you will soon return to your old grater girlfriend.

greens at room temperature

Fiber-rich greens can be easily turned into a brown slurry by metal blender knives. To preserve the juicy color, freeze the greens, and after 5 minutes add to the blender - this is what chefs advise.

Fibrous vegetables with hard stems

We're talking celery, broccoli, cauliflower, tough salad greens. Believe me, even modern super-powerful high-speed blenders will not cope with the fibers, and if they do, then for the next half hour you will be removing the remnants from the knives.

frozen fruit

Who doesn't love invigorating fruit drinks? While they are fresh, knives do a great job of cutting through tender flesh, but what if you only have frozen fruit? Some are so confident in the power of the blender that they throw frozen fruit into the bowl. Well, if you get a sherbet ... In the worst case, the blades will break or become dull, and the glass (or plastic) of the container will crack. Remove food from the freezer in advance and leave for half an hour.

Hard grains and nuts

Only truly desperate housewives will stop grinding coffee beans, beans, mung beans or cocoa beans in a blender. For grinding hard foods, it is better to use a good coffee grinder with a powerful motor and reinforced knives.

Foods with a strong aroma

The smell of garlic, the bitterness of chili peppers and onions can soak into the rubber seal and spoil the taste of the product you are mixing. You may have noticed that after raw garlic, the blender bowl overnight, even after two or three washes, still leaves a subtle aroma. Morning cocktail with strawberries and spicy garlic is unlikely to be to your taste.

Too little or too much liquid

When the blender works with solids, you need to add a little water. This must be done carefully to avoid motor surge or water splash. The proportions must be correct. Not enough liquid - the blender will chop lumps, too much - the blades will not come into contact with the product.

Bones

Professional cooks say that inexperienced cooks often make this mistake. When adding chicken or fish to a blender for minced meatballs or fish pies, it's important to make sure there are no bones in the meat. Household combines differ from industrial ones - even small bones are “not for knives” for them.

Meat

The perfect dish is layers of flavors and textures. The meat, ground in a blender, has a consistency that only kids will like. Of course, if you are preparing baby foods, then a blender is a real savior for a young mother. But for juicy tender cutlets with a crispy crust, only a meat grinder is needed.

Tools

Avoid dropping any tools or small kitchen utensils into the blender while it is running: plastic, glass, or wooden mortars are not good for pushing through pieces of food - they crack and break easily. If you need to lightly stir the puree while the blender is running, use a metal spoon.

Sun-dried tomatoes

If you don't have a high-speed, high-speed blender, never try to grind sun-dried tomatoes: their tough skins will stick to the blades. If you still need sun-dried tomatoes, for example, for sauce, soak them in water until they soften.

Tomato sauce

Potato

We think that more than one housewife regretted that she tried to cook mashed potatoes in a blender ... Any starchy vegetables cannot be chopped at high speeds: starch turns into a viscous paste, mashed potatoes become sticky, tasteless. Modern models have a special nozzle for potatoes.

hot liquid

When preparing soup puree, do not pour the soup that has not yet cooled down into the bowl. Steam in an enclosed space can explode the lid: not only will the liquid scatter around the kitchen, there is a risk of serious burns.

Dough

No self-respecting baker would make pie dough in a blender. Its texture will be tough, deoxygenated. An exception is batter for pancakes or pancakes.

Ginger

Do not put fresh or dried ginger in a blender. What will happen? Not gruel, but a solid lump of fibers. It is better to finely chop or rub it.

Bulk Ingredients

If you put flour, sugar, or baking mix in a blender, the powdery ingredients will stick to the sides of the bowl as you mix. It is better to pour them into the liquid base through the hole in the lid and slow down.

I have a very small kitchen, and the abundance of modern kitchen assistant gadgets just makes my eyes widen. Personally, I have their minimum minimum, and the most important and used just daily is a blender. That's it without him, I'm like without hands.

In this article I will tell and show how it saves me time, effort, and what dishes are simply instantly cooked with it.

How to save time with a blender

My blender, one might say, is already a veteran. It was purchased more than four years ago, and still serves regularly, and I use it almost every day. The only thing that happened to him was that the needle at the mixer nozzle broke off. I just threw the whole thing away, because I have a wonderful stationary mixer, but that's another story.

Two bowls for whipping - small and large. There is also a submersible whipping attachment for puree soups. Also a necessary thing, I use it quite often.

chop vegetables

Do you enjoy cutting onions? Let me tell you, this is not my favorite pastime. For example, I definitely add it to it, and we love cutlets and make them quite often.

Cook the pâté

Are the guests on the doorstep or there is absolutely no time to cook, but some kind of light snack is urgently needed? Again - a blender to help you!
You can cook a wonderful pate from and serve it on toast (the only digression here is that the onion is better and tastier to fry).

And you can make it (pate) from feta (I make it from feta) and serve with vegetables (cucumbers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, etc.).

Short recipe:
200 grams of feta
100 grams of any cottage cheese
50 grams of kefir
2 garlic cloves
1 st. l. chopped dill

First, pour in the kefir and spread the garlic passed through the press and peeled (it is better to do this so that the pieces do not get caught). Well, let's load everything else. 10-15 seconds of blender operation - and that's it! If necessary, you can stop in the middle of time and drive a knife or fork along the edge, throwing everything towards the middle.

Again, these are dishes that are prepared with a blender in just one minute. You don’t need to cut anything special, grind it through a sieve, just throw it into a blender and after 20-30 seconds everything is ready - lay it out and serve.

Milkshakes & Smoothies

With the help of a blender, you can easily and quickly prepare any dairy or - a wonderful and healthy breakfast or snack. It can be cooked with both frozen and fresh berries, as well as with the addition of any vegetables, boiled cereals and herbs. By the way, on our website, so be curious.

My kids keep asking me to cook . For example, the youngest son does not like any additives, therefore, the simplest ingredients for him are banana, milk and sugar. This is always in my house, so 1 minute - and the desire of the child, thanks to the blender and me, is fulfilled. First, turn the banana into porridge by adding a little milk - 100 grams, and after that add even more to the desired consistency.

cold soups

I can't tell you about my latest discovery - cold soup . Of course, in winter this is not so important, and yet ... The base is spinach, feta (feta is also possible) and kefir, and then you can add any vegetables, croutons, shrimp, etc.

I use frozen spinach. Since the soup is cold, you can not defrost it completely. I just put it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
We put spinach (120 g), kefir (200 g) and fetaci (100 g) in a blender. 30 seconds of running the blender - and you're done. Pepper, and you can serve. I like to add chopped sweet pepper and cucumber. All this can also be crushed in a blender.

Do you know what I especially like? Since such recipes practically do not take time, it’s quite possible to make small portions for yourself, and indulge only yourself if others do not like such a dish. Thanks blender! I do this with this soup, because the children do not really like it.

Puree soups

How about hot soup? Or maybe you want ? This is where the nozzle shown by me at the very beginning comes in handy.

Other useful little things

Homemade breadcrumbs.

And of course, I always collect loaves of loaves, broken or dried pieces, etc., dry them and make my own crackers.

Small sugar.

It is also often necessary to use fine sugar in the recipe, since it simply does not dissolve well in a dry dough. Again, in a blender - and chop. Powder will not work there, but it’s enough to grind enough for yourself.

I hope I convinced you of the usefulness and necessity of this kitchen helper. Experiment, fantasize, try, cook and a blender will help you!

Tired of washing my hands on a grater, I asked my husband for a blender for his birthday)

After looking through the pages of online stores, looking at the characteristics, I chose Orion Orb-016.

To begin with, he was pleased with the rather democratic price of 215 UAH (well, plus delivery).

The first time I tried to crush ice with it. NEVER DO THIS. As I found out later, blenders with plastic ice bowls are not suitable, but it’s very cool to make various cocktails in it) My favorite dairy is done like this: grind 1 banana in a blender, then add 300-400 ml of milk and beat again until a light foam appears ) The yummy is incredible, if you have ice cream on hand, you can add it and it will be even tastier.

Then I mastered the immersion nozzle, and with it you can make insanely delicious coffee. Pour directly into a cup of coffee and sugar, as you usually like, add a tablespoon of milk. Immerse the nozzle in the cup and shake until you get half a cup of coffee and milk foam, then pour hot water down the side of the cup so as not to knock off the foam. Real jam!)

Let's move on to grinding food during cooking. Let's discuss the main questions and problems for beginners.

The first shock for me was chopping onions. Whole layers stuck to the wall of the bowl, the blade did not reach them, and instead of chopped onions, large pieces were obtained on the walls. Only later did I understand how to manage the blender so that it grinds well, but with onions, everything is still not quite smooth with us (

Firstly do not spare time, do not press the button for 2-3 seconds, on average it takes about 10 seconds to grind the product at 2 speeds.

Secondly if you open the lid or see through the transparent walls of the bowl that a large piece of product is stuck on the wall of the bowl, just shake the bowl so that it falls down, with a certain skill it is not difficult, and start the chopper for another 2-3 seconds.

Thirdly never put onions, carrots, beets - in one piece. Always cut into several pieces, and only then put in a bowl, otherwise you will end up with 1 large piece and a bunch of crushed porridge.

Fourth never get upset in vain - if you open the bowl, and there is a neatly chopped carrot and next to it there are 3-4 large, under-grinded pieces that the blades didn’t reach, just eat them) and vitamins and less spent nerves for you.

As for the mixer attachment, it does its job perfectly, beats super, and for nothing that there is only one whisk.

Why do I need white plastic nonsense with a photo, I still don’t understand, I suspect that it’s for fixing some spare parts on the wall, but I still don’t understand what to shove where)

In general, I will say this: the first impressions of the blender were not good.

I was frustrated before I had a blender, I thought I would press the button, wow! and everything will be perfect, but in the operation of this device and not only this and this company (and I asked people with more expensive blender models) there are nuances that you just need to know about to get a good result. Now that I figured it out, I can’t imagine how I used to suffer with this stupid grater and live without a blender)

I am enclosing a photo of the products chopped for borscht (the beets and onions didn’t want to be clearly photographed, but the nature of the chopping can be seen from the carrots, the beets were chopped in the same way, with onions, as I wrote, we still don’t understand, but this is not scary for those dishes that I am preparing).