Product Review - Vitamix Pro 500

Vitamix, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. You make me such a wonderful morning smoothie! Your preset smoothie switch makes it easy even for my beloved to use!

2. I love you for the amazing soups you make me! Even if my ingredients go in raw, you can turn them into soup! That soup setting is amazing! Leftover roasted vegetables become a delectable soup with the addition of just a little stock.

3. Miraculously, you take ice, almonds, honey, cinnamon and soymilk and transform them into a horchata-like ice cream! Again, the preset button helps me so much!

4. Almost above all other reasons, I love you because you are so easy to clean! A little water and soap and a quick whirl and you're ready for the next task!

Seriously, this is one gadget to get excited about. I've used it almost daily since we've gotten it (and sometimes several times a day) and it makes me very excited to make really wholesome food. Every morning we've been having smoothies for breakfast (yes for and not with breakfast). It crushes ice with the greatest of ease and also incorporates tough greens very easily. We've been trying to increase our intake of superfoods and our kale and fruit smoothies have really helped us reach our goal.

The price on this can be quite daunting! Many of you know that I'm a deal finder extraordinaire and was lucky enough to find this on sale at Macy's (and I had a discount code and used Discover for cash back). This is NOT a cheap gadget but it is the highest quality and comes with a SEVEN year warranty. I also appreciate that Vitamix is an American company based in Cleveland, Ohio - being homegrown in Ohio, you know I love that!

I'm still figuring out all the capabilities of this machine but I can see many benefits. Some great uses would be to make your own butter, nut butters, sorbets, baby food, dog food and the list goes on and on. There are some accessories available as well including a dry grinding container (for making your own flour, etc.) as well as shorter/smaller containers which make it easier to store under your cabinets.

I give this two thumbs and and heartily recommend it! What's your favorite way to use your vitamix?

Prosecco Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 thin slices prosciutto
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 package mushrooms sliced thinly
  
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 shallot, finely chopped (or small onion)
  
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 3/4 cup Prosecco
  
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Reserve for garnish.

In a saute pan, cook mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter. Set aside to add at the end.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Prosecco and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the mushrooms, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.

Thanks to Giada for the foundation of this recipe.

Choliday Challah

• 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 egg for eggwash
  

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 1 egg, egg yolk and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
2. Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Knead for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Braid or shape as desired. Grease baking tray and place finished loaf on tray. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

This is an adaptation of a recipe found at all-recipes.

RB's Favorite Almond Cake

• 1 (7-8 ounce) package marzipan
• 1/4 cup room temperature butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• powdered sugar
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a 9" cake pan.
3. Cream the almond paste with the butter and sugar.
4. Mix in the almond flour.
   
5. In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly with almond extract and add to the creamed mixture.
6. Combine the flour and baking powder and stir into butter mixture.
7. Mix with a few strokes as possible.
8. Pour batter into cake pan and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
   
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
   
10. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
    

This recipe is lighter and more cake-like than the Amazing Marzipan Cake recipe. We are divided - half of us prefer this cake and half the other - you can't go wrong with either!

The original recipe can be found here.

Amazing Marzipan Cake

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream 1 egg, the almond paste, and the sugar, then beat in the remaining eggs. Beat in the butter, add the extracts then stir in the flour and pinch of salt until just incorporated. Pour into a buttered, floured tart pan or 9-inch round cake pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes", until a tester comes out clean.
*baking times vary greatly based on your baking dish; this can take as little as 25 minutes in a metal pan.

Thanks to my my old friend Patrice for serving me the most amazing marzipan cake and to my friends from chowhound for the foundation for this amazing recipe!