How would you like to have the power of a blender, but with the convenience of a Magic Bullet?
Well, now you can! Don't get me wrong. I love my Magic Bullet but it does have its faults. For one thing, you can only blend for 10 seconds at a time or you run the risk of burning up the not-so-powerful motor. I've been very lucky with mine since I've had it for about 6 years without it breaking on me. However, I don't like how stuff builds up at the top where you place the cup. It's really hard to clean that part.
Well, I've just discovered a very old secret about one of my favorite things: Mason jars. It turns out, the threads on your Mason jars fit the threads on your blender!! I'm sure some of you probably already knew about this, but the rest of you are probably saying "What?! No way!" Yes, way! Here's the thing: Apparently, back in the day, blenders actually came with their own little mason jar for blending smaller amounts and I guess at some point, someone decided to stop adding the jars as an accessory. Bad move. There have been so many times when I've wanted to whip up a small batch of something but I don't feel like using the blender since it can be really hard to clean the inside of the large jar, but the Magic Bullet is not powerful enough to fully blend everything. Think chicken quessadilla ingredients.
The Mason jar method works out 2-fold. You get the maximum power of a blender, but the clean-up of a Magic Bullet, and it works better for doing smaller batches than your blender jar. The mason jar & blades can go right into the dishwasher, and since they are made of smooth glass, they come clean very easily. If you're like me and you make a lot of smoothies with things like milled flax seeds, you know they can be really hard to clean out of the blender, and they LOVE to stick to the Magic Bullet cups...permanently.
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| All you do is screw the blade part, along with the rubber seal, onto the top of the Mason jar, & place it on your blender. |
Here are a few important tips to keep in mind when using your Mason jars with your blender:
1. Use only REAL Mason jars. They are made with tempered glass and can stand up to the pressure of blending without breaking. Do NOT use old mayo jars, etc. They are made with a thinner, more fragile type of glass.
2. NEVER blend hot liquids, such as for soup. Since there is no hole at the top, there is no way for the pressure and steam to escape and your jar might explode.
3. NEVER blend liquids by themselves. Water, milk, etc. is okay to blend, along with solid food.
4. Make sure your blender has a rubber seal that is in good condition, and that fits properly on your jar.
Here are a few ideas of things to make with your "new" blender:
smoothies
chicken quessadillas
salsa
guacamole
chopped nuts
chopped onions
pesto
sherbet
egg omelet
Alfredo sauce
frozen coffee drinks
So, now all you need to do is figure out which size Mason jar (regular or wide-mouth) fits your blender. And of course you can also drink right out of the jar! (I'm from the south where this is considered cool.) ; )
Happy blending!
