Wherein We Eat Peaches.

There is an orchard around the corner from us, and one of the best things about August is peach time.  There is something about a sunwarmed, juicy peach that just makes me happy.  Last year, I froze a bunch, slaving over the sink, peeling the fuzzy hide (after dipping them in boiling water.)   But we didn't use that many of the frozen ones...just for some cobblers here and there.  What we really love around here is fresh peaches. 

Robb makes a killer peach salsa...chuck full of cilantro and balsamic vinegar.  I swear, it's 7 in the morning, and I could eat a big bowl of it right this second.

This year, we have a new wonderment. Make that two....Peach milkshakes and The Ninja Blender.

We have burned through approximately 12 blenders in our marriage, 3 in the past year alone.  I like the vintage ones because they have more power, but we chronically break the glass container.  And when I say "we"  I mean everyone but me.  But you know what I mean.   While it is green to use vintage, it is NOT green to lug around a blender base in the back of your mini van trying to decide which thrift store to inflict it on because it's never going to sell without the glass pitcher and will eventually end up in a dumpster and then the landfill along with the other 11 blenders we killed.

So started doing some research.  I wanted a machine that we couldn't break in ten minutes, had some oomph and in a perfect world, could be used as both blender and food processor (since we have broken about 5 of those too.)  The mini chopper I was using was in no way adequate in size to make salsa or guacamole.  I planned to get a Cuisinart but their 2 in 1 model had a tiny food processor bowl and looked too complicated to enjoy. So after much debate, I went for the Ninja which I had seen originally in an infomercial while I was babysitting a certain master Heath Manz, whose sleep should not be disturbed. So I didn't lift my arm to change the channel.  I ended up buying the Kitchen System 1200 (same as the 1100)  from Bed Bath and Beyond and we've been using it for about a month. 

The truth is that as a food processor, it's nowhere near as good as the old Cuisinart one I had (and broke).   But as a blender....it's kick-arse.  Technically speaking.

This is our favorite recipe right now:

3 or 4 small peaches, washed and halved.
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 trays of ice.

The Ninja really does laugh at the ice before it turns it to snow.  It's pretty awesome.  And the sweetened condensed milk only has 80 calories. Split that five ways and this is a healthy snack that tastes amazing and has a wonderfully creamy texture.

I haven't tried out the dough blade yet, but for the love of the peach milkshake, I am happy as can be with my Ninja blender.  And the pitcher is made of plastic. So it may actually survive.  Although, currently, nobody is allowed to touch it unless they read the instruction manual.  

(The Ninja people don't know I exist, FYI. I just wanted to brag on my blender.)

 mmmm.....peaches......