Hey, your blender can be used for more than just making a smoothie.

You probably already have a blender. Did you get one as a wedding present, house warming gift, or just got yourself on in a fit of culinary madness? Maybe you inherited a family member's just in hope of someday making that dreamed of smoothie. It might even be sitting on your counter or under it gathering dust.

Wherever it is dig it out! That trusty dusty old blender can help you get out of the kitchen in a hurry.

As a time saving device a blender is one of the tops. Just read some of these ideas to find out how.

1. You can chop vegetables that you may need chopped fine in the blender. Do small amounts and blend with short bursts until you reach the desired texture. Such as carrots and cabbage for coleslaw.

2.Make bread crumbs from your blender. Use your fresher breads for fresh crumbs. Your day old bread for dryer courser crumbs. Make cracker crumbs and even cookie crumbs for your desserts and pie crusts.

3.Your blender can even be used to make cakes, cookies, muffins and pies. Blend things like your butter and eggs together and then remove from the blender to stir in your flours and dry goods.

4.You can also grate cheese in your blender. Use small 1 to 2 inch cubes and grate away. Of course it won't look like the cheese you buy in the nice little packages in the grocery store but if you're shredding for things like a quiche or casserole topping it's going to melt down so who cares!

Your blender can even be used to make cakes, cookies, muffins and pies. Blend things like your butter and eggs together and then remove from the blender to stir in your flours and dry goods. Some tips to keep in mind.

Mashed potatoes and egg whites don't do well in the blender. Egg whites will never nice and stiff and your cooked potatoes will turn into soup instead of nice and fluffy.

Stop your blender occasionally and mix things together with a rubber spatula.

After you're done and have emptied the container of your foods, run the blender a few seconds with some hot soapy water to make sure all the food particles have been removed before sending it through your dishwasher or hand washing it.

Shop for discount brand name blenders at Amazon.Com below:

	Hamilton Beach 51101B Personal Blender with Travel Lid, Black List Price: $21.99 Sale Price: $14.60 Used From: $12.00
	* Take your drink to go * Use the travel lid to drink from * Great for fruit smoothies, icy drinks, shakes, and more * Stainless steel blades * One touch blending * Easy storage * Less cleaning * Single serving size

	Hamilton Beach 54615 Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender with 48-Ounce Jar, Black List Price: $32.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $22.50
	Equipped with 500 watts of power, this countertop blender works great for liquefying frozen fruit, whipping up creamy smoothies, making pureed soups, and more. Its revolutionary WaveAction blending system continuously forces the mixture down into stainless-steel ice-crushing blades for thorough blending from top to bottom--every time...

	Oster BCBG08-C 6-Cup Glass Jar 8-Speed Blender, Brushed Nickel List Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $33.81 Used From: $34.36
	Brought to you by the #1 Blender brand. A blender that's anything but basic.Your life isn't basic. Your blender shouldn't be either. With this Oster blender you don't have to sacrifice quality for simplicity...

	Black & Decker BL10450HB Crush Master 10-Speed Blender with 42-Ounce Glass Jar, Black List Price: $29.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $27.59
	Powerful and durable, the Crush Master blender is equipped with a stainless steel all-metal blade shaft to deliver superior performance for everything you blend, chop and puree.

	Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome List Price: $55.00 Sale Price: $27.45 Used From: $24.09
	The versatile stick design of the Cuisinart Smart stick Hand Blender lets users blend ingredients right in pots, pitchers, bowls, or clear plastic beaker that's included. A powerful 200-watt motor operates with an easy one-touch control...