Friday, November 21, 2008

My New Favorite Kitchen Toy!


I bought this the other day. And do I ever love it! The KitchenAid® Immersion Hand Blender with Chopper is incredible. I was getting so tired of making pea and bean soup and having to scoop some of it out with a cup and mix it in my blender. What a mess that made. I finally broke down and bought this. I checked out all the reviews they got and this was the best one. I know that I will be able to use it many different ways!!! Beating eggs really fast for a quick bread. Chopping a small amount of nuts with the chopping attachment. The uses are endless but this here is my favorite...


Vegetarian Split Pea Soup (Heidi of 101 Cookbooks)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped (I added 3 cloves of garlic as well)
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water (I substitute3 cup of the water with homemade chicken stock)
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)

a few pinches of smoked paprika
more olive oil to drizzle

Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas and water. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot. Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika and a touch of lemon zest.



Check it out...KitchenAid® Immersion Hand Blender with Chopper

Best Regards

Judy