I'll just start with this: I have an incredibly contentious relationship with blenders and food processors. I love the ease of blenders and food processors and they are so necessary for so many different foods. And, over the past decade, I've owned my fair share of them.
One blender had a base that tightened in the opposite direction of 'righty-tighty, lefty-loosey' so, if I happened to forget that, I ended up with blended sludge all over my counter; I always ran that blender in a bin! I had a blender that I really liked - it worked quickly and efficiently - but the jar was plastic and I vastly prefer glass.
So, I always keep an eye out for my next blender, hoping that I'll find one that does everything I want and is made of what I want. When the opportunity arose - through my association with Moms Meet - to try an Oster® Pro® 1200 Plus, I was thrilled.
My Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf opened the package before I got home from work. And he already had plans. "Mom," he gushed, "I want to make beet hummus!" Great!
About the Oster Pro® 1200 Plus
'Plus' refers to it being a blender PLUS a food processor and it features...
- One-touch controls for smoothies, chopping, milkshakes
- Four one-touch speed controls - low, medium, high, and pulse
- An all-metal drive provides metal-to-metal connection for more durability
- 8-cup blender jar
- 5-cup food processing bowl
What I Loved
The first thing that jumped out at me was its compact footprint. It was no bigger than the blender I have now (which is also an Oster®) and it's much smaller than my food processor. It only takes up a 7" square spot. So, it can stay on the counter...and that makes my life so much easier!
The second thing I noticed, as we were making several dishes this weekend is it's so easy to use. Most blenders and food processors aren't particularly complicated - you press a button and it starts; you press another button and it stops - but this one also sets easily. One thing I disliked about my previous blender is that if I didn't set the jar in properly, the blades wouldn't spin correctly. For this one, there's no wrong way to set it in. It only goes in one way; I didn't have to try to spin it for the blades to align.
The second thing I noticed, as we were making several dishes this weekend is it's so easy to use. Most blenders and food processors aren't particularly complicated - you press a button and it starts; you press another button and it stops - but this one also sets easily. One thing I disliked about my previous blender is that if I didn't set the jar in properly, the blades wouldn't spin correctly. For this one, there's no wrong way to set it in. It only goes in one way; I didn't have to try to spin it for the blades to align.
What I Didn't Love
Now, if they could only develop a self-cleaning blender...I'd be happy! The only complaint I have: the lid on the food processing bowl is a little tough to unlatch or unlock. Otherwise, in all seriousness, there was nothing else that I didn't love about this appliance.
It was easy to use. It worked well and fast. And it was sleek and good-looking. Well, if an appliance can be good-looking. It can, right?
It was easy to use. It worked well and fast. And it was sleek and good-looking. Well, if an appliance can be good-looking. It can, right?
What I Made
We made several things this weekend in the course of trying out the Oster Pro® 1200 Plus, including a prickly pear barbeque sauce that I will be sharing soon. But the recipe I'm going to share with this product review is exactly what the Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf declared we were making as soon as he saw it: beet hummus.
We made several things this weekend in the course of trying out the Oster Pro® 1200 Plus, including a prickly pear barbeque sauce that I will be sharing soon. But the recipe I'm going to share with this product review is exactly what the Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf declared we were making as soon as he saw it: beet hummus.
Next to blended soups, hummus is probably the thing we make the most in our blender and food processor. Unfortunately, my youngest developed a sensitivity to garbanzo beans several years ago, so we get creative with our hummus. He still pines for "the regular, plain old hummus" but it's gotten to the point where he no longer suffers through the stomach pain. So, we make hummus with black lentils, roasted carrots, golden cauliflower, though roasted beet is our favorite.
Roasted Beet Hummus
Ingredients
Roasted Beets
Hummus
- 3 to 4 organic medium sized beets, scrubbed, dried, and trimmed
- olive oil
- freshly ground sea salt
Hummus
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves
- ½ C tahini
- 1 C plain whole milk yogurt
- 4 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemon for this batch)
- 1 t freshly ground sea salt + more for taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- olive oil for drizzling, optional
Procedure
Roasted Beets
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scrub and trim the beets, then roll them in olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Lay them on a baking sheet. Roast until they are fork tender. It depends on the size of the beet, but it usually takes about an hour. Once they are cool enough to handle, rub off the skin.
Place all of the ingredients - plus the roasted beets - in the bowl of the food processor. Process until smooth. Adjust seasoning, if needed, with more salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with pita bread, chips, or cut veggies.
A Few More Things...
Oster® has a current offer at Target for $10 off any Oster® Blender $39 and up. Get the coupon: here. And Target also has a Cartwheel app. Oster® will be updating the app with promotions throughout the holiday season. Get the app: here.
You may find Oster®...
on Facebook
*Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program,
May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.
Get the Best Hand Blender Reviews. A food processor is very niche. I own both (a Cuisinart 14 cup food processor, a small "nut chopper" food processor and a Vitamix). The FP is used rarely by me (but it is used and helpful when I need it). But I use my blender literally 5 days a week. Possibly 6.
ReplyDelete