If you’re pressed for kitchen storage space, or you just like keeping things simple, you should take a look at some of the new blenders on the market that also double as a food processor.  On these models, the blender pitcher, and a food processor attachment interchangeably use the same power base.

The Cuisinart blender shown above comes with a 40-ounce glass blender jar, and a 3 cup food processor.  I especially like that the motor has a special ice crusher setting, because if you try to crush ice in a blender that’s not made for it, you can easily ruin it.

The motor of the blender/food processor combo has 7 speeds, including pulse.  For the food processor attachment, a chopping blade, and a reversible shredding disc are included.   I found the Cuisinart Duet blender at Cooking.Com for $89.95.

Here’s a list of food processor and blender recipes from Recipe Zaar.

With the economy in crunch, many of us are looking for ways to save on food expenses.  One of the best ways to save a buck on meals without sacrificing quality is to dig out all your favorite casserole recipes, or find some new ones.

If you think casseroles are limited to boring tuna/vegetable concoctions like your mom used to make, you should do a quick search for casserole recipes.  It’s easy to find low-fat versions of old favorites, and ideas for satisfying even the most sophisticated tastes. Here’s a vegetarian casserole from Cooking.Com that I’m going to try this week:

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach

• 1 pound of rigatoni
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach thawed
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 5 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Cook pasta until almost done, and drain.  Pour pasta into a large (9X13) casserole dish, and toss with 1 tbsp. of oil.

Next, squeeze all excess water from spinach, and place in a food processor with ricotta cheese, 3 tbsp of the Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Puree.  Then, stir in half of the fontina cheese.

Stir the pureed mixture into the pasta. Top with remaining fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese, and oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until top is brown and bubbly.

The casserole dish shown above is the Emeril adobe clay covered casserole dish available at Holiday Decorations Direct. Com.

Fresh and juicy pears are in season in many parts of the U.S. right now, so now is the time to pull out your favorite pear recipes, and enjoy one of Autumn’s most delicious fruits.  Pears can be baked or grilled with meats like pork and chicken, and made into delicious desserts like this one:

Pear Cranberry Crisp

Filling:

• 7 large pears, slightly under-ripe, peeled, and cored
• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbs. flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Topping:

• 1 cup of flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 stick butter, chilled and cut into small chunks

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and pour into a buttered 8-inch square baking dish.   (Substitute non-stick spray for butter if you prefer.)

To prepare topping: Combine first 4 ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Then, cut in butter using a pastry blender, or food processor, until mixture is coarsely blended.

Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Place baking dish on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake for about an hour, or until the top is golden and edges are bubbling.

If you have an ice cream maker, this recipe is a great excuse to mix up a small batch for serving up a really special fall dessert.

There are lots of ways to use up Halloween pumpkins, and here is one delicious option. This pumpkin soup recipe includes cinnamon croutons for topping.  You can even get creative with the croutons for making this a real Halloween treat.

I’d like to take my hat off and give a bow to Cuisinart for their life-enhancing, 14-Cup food processor. I admit I was intrigued but scared by this beast when I first set eyes on it. How could it possibly slice fruits and vegetables perfectly? I thought that result must rely on me assembling the machine in a masterful way. With all the different choices for blades, I thought I’d have to sit down with the instruction booklet for days, like it would be one step short of building an airplane.

But, to my surprise (or, for me, in typical fashion) I didn’t have to look at the manual once - shoo! I just minded the arrows on the blades and pieced it together like a children’s play set. There’s only two buttons on the apparatus and if it doesn’t turn on, you didn’t do it right. But when you do get it, the results are amazing. It takes seconds to chop or grate vegetables, and a minute to perfectly whip cream. And even clean up is less daunting than you think it will be.

So if you’re in the market, I’d highly recommend this make and model. It truly has made cooking for me a better, more fun experience.

I made this the other night for the first time and we loved it. Perfect for summer. It’s fresh, tangy and sweet enough to make those who avoid eating vegetables get down on them. Use a food processor and make a huge amount in a snap to bring along to picnics and potlucks. To get in your greens, try it on a bed of watercress - a sophisticated delight. You will need:

• 2 medium celery roots
• 2 apples, I used golden delicious
• 5 green onions
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 lemon for juice
• salt
• 1/4 walnuts, roasted

Wash the vegetables and apples. Cut the skin off of the celery root and apples then cut into one inch slices. Feed through the food processor using the grate blade. Cut the green onions about half way down then feed the bottom portion through the food processor. Empty it all into a salad bowl. In a smaller bowl mix the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust until it pleases your palette. Mix the dressing thoroughly into the salad. Top with walnuts and crunch away!