Food Processors - Worth It Or Not?

Last week I promised a review of my new food processor as I had never wanted one but recently changed my mind.  Is it worth the storage space and cost?  For me, the answer is definitely yes.  I have used it twice since my last post and both times it made cooking so much easier.  I have used it to shred hard cheese and to slice several potatoes.  It was like magic and worked so quickly and quietly that I couldn't believe it.  One thing I hate to do is to slice potatoes thinly but that is now a thing of the past.  It was also very easy to clean up as all parts can go in the dish washer or you can hand wash it.  All parts have been designed so that there are no hard to clean areas.  My only problem is where to store it and that question has not been satisfactorily solved.  I also think it works much better than the old blender I have but maybe a better quality blender would perform better than mine.  It was my frustration with the limitations of the blender that finally led to me wanting a food processor.

My research had convinced me that a food processor would be more versatile too.  I decided that a 9 cup Cuisinart would be a good size and work the best.  Tomorrow I plan to make a quick bread in it that I have been unable to make because it involves finely chopping a whole orange, peel and all.  I also plan to test it's bread dough making ability soon and I can't wait to make fresh salsa.  The next time I'm making cranberry salad or Oreo truffles, I won't dread it because the food processor will do a better job than the blender.

If you have been thinking about a food processor, my advice is to think how often you perform tasks like slicing vegetables, making breads, chopping foods or blending those chopped foods as in making salsa.  If you make things like this weekly, then the food processor will make a big difference.  If you avoid certain recipes due to the chopping or slicing involved, the processor will help. Otherwise I might put off buying one as a decent one will cost $100 to $200 plus take up a lot of room in the kitchen.  You might be better off with a blender which is smaller.

On another note, I must confess I have been struggling with a regular exercise routine lately.  The holidays and getting sick played havoc with my exercise plan and now the weather has gotten into wrecking my plans.  My dance class was canceled last night due to snow and icy conditions.  Still that doesn't mean I have given up and am just sitting around on my butt drinking hot chocolate.  I want to look good when swim suit weather arrives and you can't get in shape in just a month.  So stick to your plans and keep moving.  Have an alternative workout you can do at home if the weather gets bad.  If you have snow, get out in it and you'll get a great workout.  Plus, do something else once in awhile is really good for your exercise plan and keeps it from getting boring.