Cuisinart Smart Stick® Hand Blender with Whisk & Chopper Attachment

Model CSB-77

Product Features

·      200-watt immersion hand blender

·      Detachable blending shaft with blade guard and stainless steel blade

·      Whisk and chopper/grinder attachments

·      Lightweight design with simple push-button control

·      16-ounce mixing/measuring cup

·      Brushed stainless steel finish

·      21 recipes included

Product Description

The Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender tool is one of my new “go to” appliances in the kitchen. It lets you blend, chop, grind or mix right in the cooking pot or serving dish. This alone is a huge deal — because it reduces the time it takes to prepare recipes and cuts down on the amount of dirty dishes — but it’s also amazingly versatile. In the short time I’ve had it, I’ve used it on a number of recipes, from pureed soup to homemade mayonnaise, and for chopping nuts and vegetables.

My first test of the Smart Stick Blender was with one of my favorite soup recipes: roasted carrot ginger soup. Upon inserting the blender into the pot of hot soup, it took a few seconds for me to figure out that a circular, stirring type motion is the best way to go. But, after about one minute, the soup was beautifully pureed — carrots, parsnips, onions and all. Plus, it was ready to serve right out of the pot! Sweet!

The Smart Stick Blender comes with a special attachment for chopping or grinding hard cheese, onions, nuts, chocolate, carrots and more. There’s also a whisk attachment, which lets you whip up creams, dressings and toppings. That’s a lot of functionality for a kitchen tool that usually retails for around $50!

It’s great not to have to lug out a huge food processor, blender or stand mixer for smaller jobs. The Cuisinart Smart Stick Blender is easy to clean: the blending shaft, whisk head, chopper/grinder bowl and mixing cup are all dishwasher safe and everything else wipes clean with a damp cloth. I feel it was definitely worth the price I paid, especially given how often I’ve already used it.

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go® 6-Quart Slow Cooker

Model 33162

Product Features

· Stainless Steel finish

· Clip-tight sealed lid for spill resistance

· Dishwasher safe stoneware crock and glass lid

· Perfect size for a 6-pound chicken

· Large, full-grip handles for easy carrying

· Party recipes and name tags included

· 4 settings – off, low, high & keep warm

Product Description

As a busy working mom, I was thrilled when my mother gave me a Hamilton Beach Stay or Go slow cooker this year for the holidays. This thoughtful gift has been a complete game changer for me, as it gives me the opportunity to have dinner ready when I step in the door after a long, stressful day.

Before I go to work, I do all my chopping and prep work, assemble the ingredients in the crock and set the timer. When I come home, I have a hearty, nutritious meal to serve my family. So far, I have made a savory bean and barley soup and a Sunday-style tomato sauce, with meatballs and pork spareribs that were so tender the meat fell off the bone. Each meal required the minimum amount of cooking time recommended by the recipe.

The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-quart crock pot, which retails for around $32, has enough room for a small chicken and veggies, a hearty soup or stew, or two 3-lb. roasts. The black stoneware crock, which is dishwasher safe, is handsome enough to place on the dinner table. Or you can place the entire unit on a buffet table to keep your food warm during a party.

Large, full-grip handles make it easy to carry. Plus, it comes with a dishwasher-safe glass lid that clamps on mason-jar style to seal in the contents and prevent messy spills. I haven’t tested out the portability of my Stay or Go crock pot just yet, but my sister uses her nearly identical Hamilton Beach model for potlucks all the time.

It'll be great to be able to transport food to a party without getting spills on my car interior or — worse yet — on me. Other nice features are the keep warm mode, which maintains the food’s temperature without overcooking it, a serving spoon that clips into the lid and a handy lid rest. It also comes with party recipes, as well as a recipe name-tag slot and removable paper labels for identifying what's inside.

The only thing I would add, if I could, is a timer. I know there are more expensive slow cookers out there, but my feeling is there’s no need to bother with a more expensive model. The Hamilton Beach crock pot, model 33162, is a great buy for the money.