To get the most out of a blender, you have to find creative ways to put it to work. Think along the lines of using your car as a storage space, an ink pen as a hair clip, a vegetable peeler instead of a grater, a piece of hair for dental floss—you get the idea.

My favorite way to use my blender is for puréeing soups. Just about any bean on the planet can be whipped into creamy goodness—the result is a velvety texture that is smoother than what you get with an immersion blender. All you have to do is add enough liquid to reach your desired thickness and then add seasonings of your choice.

This is something I discovered when on a strict budget—and by strict, I mean I was almost broke. I had packed my things in my trusty Honda and moved myself across the country to L.A., taking only what would fit in my car. My "everything will work itself out" adventurous attitude landed me in a new city without an apartment or a job.

Those two things were quickly nailed down, but the cash did not start flowing immediately. I had to make the most out of a small food budget, and I found that bean soups were a great option. I developed my own recipes and discovered that my favorites are curried chickpea topped with avocado slices, creamy black bean topped with cilantro and red onion, or a simple puréed lima bean soup—which results in the most velvety texture of all.

Here are a few more ideas for ways to use your blender:

•Making bread crumbs

•Grinding spices

•Blending hummus

•Chopping vegetables

•Grinding coffee beans

•Chopping ice

•Blending a variety of drinks, from smoothies to cocktails

People are going gaga for the Vita-Mix these days, because it can do just about anything. I prefer to stick with my KitchenAid. How could I part with an appliance that is such a seasoned traveler? I just couldn't.