Blender or Food Processor?

Spinning blades, a container to hold the contents, the only difference between a blender and a food processor is the shredding and slicing attachment, right? Wrong. A food processor and a blender each have special talents and there are times when one appliance simply cannot take the place of the other. So what should you know in order to decide which to use?

A food processor is absolutely the most versatile - so, if you only have room on the counter for one, it should be the good old Cuisinart. That said there are things a food processor can't do, crush ice for instance, so having a blender is essential if you're a smoothie enthusiast or if you like blended mixed drinks. You'll choose the food processor whenever you want to reduce the size of something. Tasks like chopping nuts or making crumbs or chopping vegetables all call for the processor fitted with the blade attachment. The food processor's design is really best for handling these types of tasks. In addition, whenever you want to make a puree that still has some texture, as in hummus or bean dip, a food processor is your go-to guy. A puree is also best made in the food processor if it starts out without any (or very little,) liquid like with peanut butter. Another thing that your food processor can handle (that you'd never try in a blender!) is making dough. Bread, pie and biscuit dough are all completed very quickly and effectively in a processor as long as you don't over do it - doughs can heat up very quickly and become overworked if you allow the machine to run too long.

A blender has basically two areas in which it's king: ice crushing and smooth purees. If you've got a soup that you want to be creamy and smooth you should opt for your blender, here's why: A blender's four blades are set at different angles and on different planes - a food processor only has two blades, and they're identical. These blades on different planes insure that no food particles get missed; not only that, but the funneled shape of the blender jar encourages the mixture toward the blades, helping to create a smooth result. There's another reason why having liquid in the jar is important - dry or sticky ingredients don't slide down the jar very easily! So, milkshakes, smoothies, pureed soups, salad dressings, mayonnaise - all can be made best in the blender.

One word of caution, when working with hot liquids in either appliance: be sure to fill the work bowl/jar no more than one-third full and cover the top with a kitchen towel while you hold it. These precautions help guard against a steamy explosion!