hi Rachel,
You might want to consider investing in one of those "immersion" type blenders, long and slender that you immerse into whatever you want to blend, chop, puree, etc. Canadian Tire has Braun for $19.99. I bought a version that twists apart in the middle, for easier cleaning, $29.99. I LOVE it, purees soups, blends the lumps out of gravy, whips a whey protein shake into a thick, yummy froth .. some come with an attachment to whip cream in 15 seconds flat. Makes awesome homemade mayonnaise too, in just seconds.
I finally bought a dehydrator today. Phoned and walked and drove all over the city looking for one. Paid $120 for it, but it comes with a few extra doo-dads and gizmos, so I'm happy. Bought some top-side lean round, will get it marinating shortly. This one has quite a cookbook with recipes for fish jerky too. Don't gag, I'm thinking smoked trout or salmon would be good. And home-dried tomatoes (in August-September, when fresh from the garden has the best flavour) to put in good olive oil and herbs (black peppercorns, basil and thyme) Carby for sure, but a little goes a long way. This model is supposed to be good for 4 lbs. of meat, so maybe that explains the higher cost from the one you bought??
Even in the high heat and humidity of summer, I can put it out on my balcony to run overnight, and not heat up the apartment. Yayyy!!
Thanks for the marinade recipes, and the motivation for getting one of these things. I've been mulling over the notion for years, and always found a reason to talk myself out of it. Now I have one, and I intend to use it a lot, thanks to you...
Doreen