Many recipe writers, when describing the relative ease of a dish, will advertise the fact that it doesn't require an already beleaguered home cook to pull out the blender. For too long, I also bought into the lie that using a blender or food processor was a schlep. That it was a bulky, loud piece of equipment that was awkward to store and even more awkward to clean.
But then I picked up a mini food processor, a $20 Ninja Express Chop from Target, specifically to test a "shortcut pastry" recipe (which worked out beautifully, by the way). Even after I'd finished my tests, I found myself continuing to reach for it as I cooked in subsequent weeks. It makes food prep feel way easier, and it also has inspired some particularly creative pantry meals.
