Ooops, I have a 3 digit blender - the Vitamix. Just got it this summer at a Costco roadshow as our old $40 blender just couldn't do what we needed it to. It couldn't crush ice, couldn't pulverise vegetables, smoothies were lumpy not smooth yada yada. I've used the Vitamix daily since I got it. Today I made a strawberry/pineapple/spinach/ice smoothie, ground rice into flour and mixed a sald dressing. I usually make at least one smoothie a day - sometimes 2 or three. Obviously I am biased so I looked as Cooks Illustrated's reviews of blenders last reviewed in July 2006. Products They tested: (listed alphabetically) * Braun PowerMax Jug Blender * Cuisinart Smartpower Premiere * Emerilware * Jenn-Air Attrezzi * KitchenAid Pro Line ChefÂs Blender * L'Equip R.P.M. * Vita-Mix 5000 * Waring 2-Speed MegaMix Specialty * Waring Pro PBB For copyright reasons I can't reprint the report here (you have to be a subscriber) but here's the short version: Their Conclusion? Until a markedly better blender comes along, they'll stick with their Best Buy model for the usual blender tasksÂand rely on a food processor for everything else. The winner was the L'Equip R.P.M. with a MSRP of $134.99 but I don't think it's available any more. Also CI is biased AGAINST high priced items. It did rate the Vitamix as best smoothie maker though and that was the older model.

I'll admit, I don't bake my eggshells...but I buy local eggs, and wash very thoroughly (if they had salmonella, my dogs would get it from the eggs, which I also feed raw). But I would imagine birds would be much more sensitive to anything on them than my dogs might be, so baking is a good idea. I had read that the baking was just to remove mineral oils put on the shell to help preserve the eggs and dry the shells out well, not to guard against salmonella. I just wash them out well with hot water, then store in the fridge until they're really dry. Then I grind them way down into a powder for the dogs...since I mix it with their raw food (one of my dogs can't have whole raw bones, so it replaces the calcium). It takes no time at all in the magic bullet to grind them to powder, if that's what you decide to do. I actually bought the food processor specifically to make dog food with (pulverizing veggies/chopping meat). I can't imagine using the MB for that...it would take me hours with those small quantities! :-)

Kathy, why do you do this to me?? Clever idea though!

I use one all the time. You only need to blend it once or twice until it is well blended. If you blend it continuously, or a lot after it has thickened, it will burn out. I buy extras at second hand stores and garage sales.