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Not Running => Food => Topic started by: redkitty on January 19, 2015, 09:39:31 PM

Title: Food processors
Post by: redkitty on January 19, 2015, 09:39:31 PM
What do you use them for?  How are they better or different than blenders (assuming oyu aren't using the processor to slice things.) 

I have one, I got last year at Xmas (so 2013.)  I have never used it.  I rarely come across recipes that require its use and the few where the recipe stated I should use one, I just used the blender anyway.  The blender worked just fine.  But perhaps I just don't understand teh coolness of a food processor and I am missing out on something.  Please enlighten me...seriously. 

If it makes a difference, I have a cuisinart one.  It is fairly nice.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: onawhim on January 19, 2015, 09:56:53 PM
I use it for slicing and chopping and grating.  Also for dough and pancake batter that kind of thing.  If all you do is blend then it won't be better for that. 
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: diablita on January 19, 2015, 10:15:15 PM
what she said :)

I shred carrots, potatoes, cheese sometimes (if the cheese type in a recipe is needed shredded and doesn't come that way), zucchini for fab zucchini bread or shredded zucchini dishes, brussels sprouts

I make hummus with it, blend together almond flour and powdered sugar for macarons, blend dates with nuts and other fruits for bars, almond cake gets zapped together in the processor

so many other things!  I love the food processor.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: merigayle on January 20, 2015, 05:52:21 AM
I use it when I make beet burgers for DD, for pulsing tofu or making tofu ricotta, pulse cooked kale for a colcannon recipe I make, cashew cheese, etc. I use mine a lot.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Ice Cream on January 20, 2015, 06:24:13 AM
I use it when I make beet burgers for DD, for pulsing tofu or making tofu ricotta, pulse cooked kale for a colcannon recipe I make, cashew cheese, etc. I use mine a lot.

DD is the only one who eats beet burgers?  I am impressed that she eats beets.

We had one when I grew up, but never used it. I don;t see that I have any need for one.  I do have an immersion blender that I use a lot.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: merigayle on January 20, 2015, 07:12:51 AM
DD is the only one who eats beet burgers?  I am impressed that she eats beets.

We had one when I grew up, but never used it. I don;t see that I have any need for one.  I do have an immersion blender that I use a lot.
We eat them to, but it is one of her favorite foods. It is roasted beets, roasted onion, roasted garlic, i pulse in the food processor and then stir into crumbled tofu with other things. Recipe from Fat Free Vegan. She loves beets. They are so sweet and make you poop purple, what's not to like? :D
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: ihop on January 20, 2015, 02:40:17 PM
Yes - shredding, slicing, dough, pesto, etc.  I use it more than my blender or stick blender.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: AmyAmyAmy on January 21, 2015, 02:21:46 PM
I use mine for pesto, salsa and falafel. I only use it every couple of months or so but it's nice to have.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Run Amok on January 21, 2015, 06:30:55 PM
I use it for totally different things than my blender.

Any time I need to shred or chop a large quantity of things.

Also for things like hummus and pesto.

Also for doughs like pie dough and biscuits.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: RioG on January 21, 2015, 08:03:19 PM
i didn't know you could use the processor for dough.

we have a processor,  used as said above.  invaluable when processing garden produce for preserving.   i also use the stand mixer and blender enough that i want them.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Dagstag v 2.0 on January 21, 2015, 08:09:02 PM
They are so sweet and make you poop purple, what's not to like? :D

OT - when I recently got my hair dyed, I told my hair gal that the color I wanted was "beet poo" :D

SO has a food processor, I don't, and I am looking forward to living in a home with one.  Shredded brussels sprouts!  I've tried slicing them by hand, and... ugh.  A pain in the ace.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: caribougrrl on January 22, 2015, 08:13:08 AM
i didn't know you could use the processor for dough.


great for pie crust especially because it doesn't get as warm as mixing by hand!  we do that even though we only have a mini-processer (pie crust in batches sounds weird, but it works so well it's worth the effort)
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: RioG on January 22, 2015, 08:56:58 AM
I'm going to have to try that.  i  .  have two food processors (don't ask...) 
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: redkitty on January 22, 2015, 10:04:56 AM
Yea I definitely don't use it to slice or shred. I just hand cut veggies, but I am never cutting up a large amount at once. Maybe a cucumber or a pepper at a time.  I can't tell you the last time I needed to shred something and I pretty much never make bread dough or anything that would need to be kneaded (though the box told me I could do that.)  I guess in general I just don't make foods that would require me to use it.  I plan on planting a veggie garden this year, perhaps if that comes to fruition and is successful, I will change my mind about using it.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: onawhim on January 22, 2015, 11:42:42 AM
I love mine but I refuse to peel vegetables so I just shred them instead  :D 
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: moroccangirl on January 22, 2015, 02:24:44 PM
I don't make bread either RK. But I do use my FP for everything Di mentioned. When I realized I could shred cheese, it was like a whole new world opened up.
I also make my own chicken breakfast patties (supposed to be turkey patties by we don't have turkey breast here). I grind the chicken breasts in the FP along with the spices, then just shape into patties.
I think I tried making hummus in my vitamix before but it didn't work too well. I always make that in the FP.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: srsly on January 22, 2015, 02:56:12 PM
I made hummus last weekend with myold fp. Then made tabouleh a few days later. I don't think I could get by without my fp. I've had mine for over 20 years. The bowl is getting cracks here and there, but the motor itself works like new, so quiet.

I've used it to make a small batch of pizza dough before I bought my kitchenaid mixer. Doesn't work as well as the kitchenaid cause it gets too hot in it. But for doughs like pizza and small portion bread recipes, it works great!
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Run Amok on January 22, 2015, 06:52:14 PM
Also good for chopping nuts and making bread crumbs, dumpling fillings, meatloaf, and things of that nature
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Natasha on January 22, 2015, 08:37:32 PM
The handle in my kitchenmaid is messed up, and so it doesn't lock, therefore it doesn't turn on. A new bowl would cost $40. I haven't been able to use it for at least a year, and I've wanted to use it maybe 3 times. So... I'm not sure. I've got all the tools to do without it.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Ice Cream on January 24, 2015, 07:26:40 AM
OT - when I recently got my hair dyed, I told my hair gal that the color I wanted was "beet poo" :D

SO has a food processor, I don't, and I am looking forward to living in a home with one.  Shredded brussels sprouts!  I've tried slicing them by hand, and... ugh.  A pain in the ace.

I shred my sprouts with a salad shooter. I think they were popular in the 90s, but still around.  I also use that to slice carrots.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Dagstag v 2.0 on January 24, 2015, 09:11:45 AM
I shred my sprouts with a salad shooter. I think they were popular in the 90s, but still around.  I also use that to slice carrots.
Holy moly, I remember those things! Salad shooterrrrrr! I always wanted one. They were just like salad guns.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Ice Cream on January 25, 2015, 08:53:58 PM
Holy moly, I remember those things! Salad shooterrrrrr! I always wanted one. They were just like salad guns.

I actually find it very useful. I slice my sprouts, carrots, radishes, etc. It also grates.  I am on my second one. When the first one broke, I thought I would never find a new one anymore, but Cuisinart makes one. 
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Ice Cream on January 25, 2015, 08:56:19 PM
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HFP-300-PrepExpress-Processor-Stainless/dp/B000MMQ41U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HFP-300-PrepExpress-Processor-Stainless/dp/B000MMQ41U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

I looked it up. This is the one I have, but I did not pay that much for it. I seem to remember it was on sale for around $40.00.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Dagstag v 2.0 on January 25, 2015, 09:08:02 PM
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HFP-300-PrepExpress-Processor-Stainless/dp/B000MMQ41U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-HFP-300-PrepExpress-Processor-Stainless/dp/B000MMQ41U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

I looked it up. This is the one I have, but I did not pay that much for it. I seem to remember it was on sale for around $40.00.
I looked at that, and there was a link to a similar product:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IV0R/ref=pd_aw_sbs_3?pi=SY115&simLd=1

I think it's the same maker of salad shooter! I have a credit from Amazon and am tempted to buy one or the other.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Ice Cream on January 26, 2015, 07:09:40 AM
I looked at that, and there was a link to a similar product:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IV0R/ref=pd_aw_sbs_3?pi=SY115&simLd=1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IV0R/ref=pd_aw_sbs_3?pi=SY115&simLd=1)

I think it's the same maker of salad shooter! I have a credit from Amazon and am tempted to buy one or the other.

The presto is the one I had before the cuisinart. It was great. I would have bought the same one again, had it still been available when I needed the replacement. I also shred my cauliflower in mine. (Use a plastic bag to catch the shredded stuff, otherwise it is all over the counter.) I never put onion or red/green peppers in it: those are too wet. But for my purposes it is great.  The cuisinart has a bigger feed, which I prefer. I put everything in the dishwasher after use, except the base. If I need grated cheese, I simply buy it grated, so I have never done that.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: diablita on January 26, 2015, 07:11:59 PM
I have a few recipes that call for special types of cheese that are shredded, like gouda or munster.  I make this delicious Syrian (Sephardic) artichoke and cheese casserole that requires white cheeses like that for best flavor.  Have I ever shared it here?  It's super tasty.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: radial on January 26, 2015, 09:08:41 PM
I have a few recipes that call for special types of cheese that are shredded, like gouda or munster.  I make this delicious Syrian (Sephardic) artichoke and cheese casserole that requires white cheeses like that for best flavor.  Have I ever shared it here?  It's super tasty.

Tap, tap, tap...
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: caribougrrl on January 27, 2015, 07:55:12 AM
I have never purchase pre-grated cheese.  I didn't realize grating cheese was one of those modern kitchen burdens, like peeling carrots...
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Run Amok on January 27, 2015, 11:18:43 AM
I didn't realize grating cheese was one of those modern kitchen burdens, like peeling carrots...

It's no big deal. But, sometimes I do. Like last night I made dinner and it wasn't ready until 9:30. It was just a busy evening. So, sometimes making a stirfry with pre-cut veg, or burritos with pre-shredded cheese is the difference between eating in or eating out.
Title: Re: Food processors
Post by: Natasha on January 27, 2015, 12:28:07 PM
I have never purchase pre-grated cheese.  I didn't realize grating cheese was one of those modern kitchen burdens, like peeling carrots...

I frequently don't peel carrots. The outer layer is the best-tasting part to me. Depends on the dish.