Coolest Thing I Learned Today: Mason Jar Blender

I tend to avoid using my Osterizer blender, which I've had since graduating from college. It's old, it's hard to clean, and there is just no counter space for such a thing, so it lives in the far reaches of a high cabinet. In fact, I almost got rid of the behemoth when my Omnivore bought me my fab Braun stick blender, which mounts quietly on the wall and is simplicity itself to clean and use. I'm something of a packrat however, and I'm not so quick to the task getting rid of stuff. So although the blender parts sat in a "to be donated" pile for about a year, they soon migrated to a "might be useful" pile a year later, and from thence to a "well, it's the back of a high cabinet anyway" spot.

Well, it's apparently Divine Providence that kept our blender from the Goodwill truck, because just a little while ago, I ran across this amazing piece of information on Simply Recipes. The business end of a blender (i.e the blades and the collar, which unscrews from the container for easy cleaning), can also be screwed onto a standard mason jar. Flip it over, and slide it onto the base as usual, and you can blend and chop away inside a mason jar, then pull it off, flip it back over and unscrew. Put its regular lid back on and you are now ready to store.

Are you kidding me? Where has this tip been all my life? No, really--why has no one EVER told me this? According to Elise, blenders used to SHIP with mason jars, so you could use them together. They've ALWAYS been this way!

We just made a glaze for our Slathered Lime Ribs-- lots of garlic, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, ketchup, etc.-- all went into the jar. Popped on blender blades and collar, onto the base-- Vvvrrrp, vvvrrrrrppp, vvvrrrpp, and Voila! Instant sauce, no muss, no fuss. I'm flabbergasted at how brilliantly easy it all is.

The Atlas jars that Classico tomato sauce comes in-- and which I use to store beans and rice and such in our pullout pantry--are exactly perfect for this trick. Homemade peanut butter here we come!

Come on, people-- I know there are more of these sorts of fantabulous tips out there. Don't be holding out--share your tips with us!