Suffice it to say that my blog is very special to me. It has, at times, been a source of stress, but I suppose that can be said of any relationship. More often than not, however, it is a source of great joy to me. It has brought me many, many things, including a wonderful community of friends, readers and other blog acquaintances. It has helped me hone my skills in the kitchen, with words and language and with a camera. It has opened up some amazing professional opportunities and introduced me to a great many products and ingredients I am not sure I would have discovered otherwise. And it holds me accountable to my daily diet. In short, I love the darn thing and I am very proud of it. So many happy returns of the day, dear bloggy-blog. May we get to celebrate many more together.
To help me celebrate, I enlisted the help of the good folks at KitchenAid. I could go on and on about how much I love KitchenAid products but I will try to refrain from boring you. Suffice it to say that the product we are giving away today is just as great as all their others and is a truly multi-purpose kitchen tool. Their 5-Speed Hand Blender is no simple immersion blender, my friends, and I am seriously impressed with all the functions and the power it contains. I love my big mixer and my big processor, but sometimes I hate the though of getting them dirty when I just need something quickly chopped, whipped or blended. The KitchenAid Hand Blender comes with attachments for all of that: whisk, chopper, frother/beater, and two different blades for shredding, blending and pureeing. And then all you have to do is remove the attachment portion and clean that. Easy Peasy.
I tried out every single attachment and I give them all a thumbs up. I’ve used it to make lattes, smoothies, soup, and whipped cream. And when I discovered I was out of Thai curry paste one day, I whipped some up with the chopper. I adore the chopper attachment, because the blender fits right into the top of the chopper container, keeping the mess to a minimum while still being quite powerful. I honestly think this might be one of the most versatile kitchen tools I own. And now you have a chance to own one yourself! Scroll down for the entry rules.
I’ve never thought to make my own Thai curry paste, it’s one of those things I’ve always bought at the store. But I wanted to make some Thai curry chicken wings (I will share the recipe for those in a few days, because they were amazing!) and discovered that I had only the smallest teaspoon left in my jar. I was reaching for the phone to call my husband and ask him to pick some up, when it suddenly occurred to me that I might have the right ingredients to make my own, or at least a close approximation. It took all of about 5 minutes to make, and of course I made my version without any sugar. It tastes fantastic and is a great sauce or marinade on chicken, fish and tofu. And you can adjust the heat to your own liking, which in our house means pretty darn hot indeed!
I received a 5-speed hand blender from KitchenAid to review. All opinions are my own.
Ingredients
- ¼ to ½ ounce red chilies fresh or dried
- ½ stalk lemongrass minced OR 2 tablespoon bottled lemongrass (I used Gourmet Garden)
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 shallot chopped
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves I used frozen cubes
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger OR galangal root I have no idea where to get galangal so I used ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in bowl/container of a food processor, blender or chopper attachment. Blend until it forms a thick paste.
- Use as a marinade for chicken, meat or seafood or as a seasoning in curries, soups and stews.
MaryB says
I would love to make some soups with this great gadget. Thanks for the delicious sounding recipe, too. I never have a problem finding a great new recipe to try when I check your site. Thanks, too, for offering the giveaway.
Birgit K says
Happy blog birthday! And look how it’s grown 🙂
Krystle says
Awesome! Congratulations! I’m so excited for you 🙂
Shannon Ikerd says
Thank you for your blog. It has been immensely helpful on my low carb journey. This would be incredibly helpful in making cream of cauliflower soup . . . . I hate taking the pot off the stove, emptying it into the blender to purée and then replacing it.
Jennifer says
I would use it all the time…my hand always gets sore from mixing with just a spoon! But especially for frostings and other recipes that require whipping.
Denise Coard says
Great giveaway and thank you!
Denise Coard says
and will make a smooth & creamy Hummus!
Katrina says
Gourmet cafe drinks to save a few bucks instead of Starbucks or the like. It would also be great just for general use around the kitchen when my bigger items are just too much for the job.
Dyanne Spease says
I would be truly blest to win this Kitchenaid Immersion blender. I am grain free because of thyroid issues and use mostly seed, nut and coconut flours for baking. The coconut flour needs to be extremely well blended and being able to “flour” the seeds or nuts all in one is awesome! Even whipping the eggs. So love this blender….
Jean Layton says
Love the story of your blog birth. This curry paste is going to be in my recipe rotation this week.
thanks for creating
Emily says
I love them for soups, sauces, etc.
Fran says
Congratulations! Glad your blog has blossomed into what it is today!
Carole Resnick says
I would use the hand blender to puree my potato-leek soup.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
I love a good curry! I’ve never made it at home though
Rita J says
Congrats on 3 years!!! i <3 your blog!!! U totally rock! U are definitely a part of my healthy new living!!! Thank u for that! I appreciate everything u do!
Karen says
Congrats on your 3rd Anniversary! Here’s to many more years! Those wings looks great and I’m always looking for new things to do with wings. I want to give that a try!
Cindy says
Oh, wow! This looks like a must have kitchen gadget! What wouldn’t I make with it? I would definitely try out your curry paste recipe with it! Thanks for the opportunity to win and for your always inspiring blog!
Elaine says
I’d make mayonnaise, salad dressings, puddings, cake batter, chop veges and nuts, smoothies, guacamole, and so much more. I’d love to receive this machine.
Rheanna says
I would love to make sauces and pastes to go with my main dishes!
Laura says
I would love to win this blender, as we all know times are tough! I can’t afford one of these on my budge so winning this would be a true blessing. I love your blog by the way!
Jodie Benfield says
Happy Anniversary!!!!!