• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney & Marvel
    • Disney
    • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Dogs
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Home & Life
You are here: Home / Food / My Wave Action Blender from Hamilton Beach & a Giveaway!

My Wave Action Blender from Hamilton Beach & a Giveaway!

August 13, 2015 By Donna Biroczky 49 Comments

Tweet
Share18
Pin
18 Shares

I am an ambassador for Hamilton Beach, so I get to try their new products and share the results with you! (It doesn’t get much more fun than new kitchen gadgets!) They sent me a complimentary Wave Action smoothie blender for the purposes of this review, but the photos and opinions are my own. I love to create recipes and try new food items, so things like this really motivate me when I’m not doing it enough on my own, so double-thanks to Hamilton Beach for the incentive to experiment!

I am a big smoothie maker, usually including fresh kale, frozen bananas and berries along with coconut milk. This posed no problem for the blender and the smaller container size is ideal for carrying to the breakfast table to share, since I have a problem with over-making my food. Then, last weekend included National Watermelon Day, which was another excuse to try out the blender. That means we had to buy an organic, seedless watermelon and figure out what to do with it. What to do with a beautiful, sweet watermelon? Mojitos!

I’d seen a photo a friend shared on Instagram and it got me in the mood, but I had no idea how to make it. I am weird and usually make mojitos a little less traditionally, using vodka, but watermelon calls for rum. It was a hot day here in Southern California, so after a quick chop and trim, I had a big pile of watermelon ready to throw into the blender.

hamilton beach blender

I also dropped in a handful of mint leaves and squeezed in a fresh lime. Whir it up a bit and you end up with a smooth liquid with a ton of flavor!

See how efficient that is? Quiet and powerful and fast!

Next, I poured a few tablespoons, to taste, of simple mint syrup (homemade with organic mint leaves from one of my many mint plants) into the bottom of a stainless-steel cocktail shaker. Pour in a few ounces of good rum, add a bunch of ice and fill with the watermelon puree. Shake it up and you’ve got any icy, fresh summer drink that goes with anything — or just by itself, because you deserve it!

It made for such a pretty, delicious drink, we have no photos of the finished product!

By this time, I’d put my other blender back in the pantry. There’s no need for two on the counter, and the Wave Action is big enough with its 48 ounce glass jar, and durable enough to take on the bigger things, so it won out when it came to space. I think it will be staying there for a long time now, as I even put away my basic smoothie-maker unit, the kind where it makes the smoothie right in the container. It usually gave me a hassle with ice, which was not a problem for the Wave Action. In fact, after using the Wave Action, I realized it was not really an inconvenience to pour the smoothie into a separate container and hit the road. More counter space saved!

This week, I promised the family a batch of my infamous chicken enchiladas. I make them two ways — one with a cheesy sauce, and another with red sauce. I never buy the canned stuff and each time, my red sauce is a little different. I think this last batch though was the best yet and I won’t be deviating again! It’s a mish-mosh of a bunch of other recipes I’ve made and/or tried, and it was so amazing. (My family says so, that’s not just me!)

I’m kind of a ‘pinch of this, tablespoon of that’ type of chef, so my measurements are only exact when I’m baking — and even then, I tend to deviate. I rarely make the recipe exactly as it’s provided or the same way twice, but that’s what makes preparing food so much fun!

Red enchilada sauce is really simple, so simple that you won’t want to buy it ever again. Start off with a couple chipotles and the accompanying adobe sauce in the blender, along with a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce and approximately three cups of chicken broth. (I used homemade chicken broth, cooked down after boiling a whole chicken for the inside of the enchiladas, and then cooked down more with adobo seasoning and the bones to really compact the flavor; strain and let cool a bit.) Whir them up until smooth.

hamilton beach blender

Then work on a simple roux of flour and olive oil (I did 6 tbsp of oil to 1/4 cup of flour) and after the oil is hot, whisk in the flour completely. It will get thick so stir fast and furiously! I do this in my big cast iron Dutch oven, deep enough to not easily splash back on you. Pour in the blender ingredients, slowly, and whisk, whisk, whisk.

red enchilada sauce

It will start to thicken. I then added in about two more cups of chicken broth. Then it’s time for the seasonings and spices! We’re a spicy kind of family, so my mix was about three tablespoons of medium-heat chili powder, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, 2 tbsp of garlic powder, a splash of oregano and about 1.5 tbsp of cumin. (Really, you can craft this to your own liking, and you can even add 1/2 teaspoon of a good cocoa powder for richness if you want!) Have fun with it; the base of the sauce is the roux, broth and sauce, with the spices just completing the package, so make it your own!

Cook it just a bit more on low-medium heat until a bit thicker and thoroughly combined. You’re done!

I let it set aside while I finished the enchiladas, which are again another easy approach to the traditional recipe. I take the cooked chicken, shredded, and pour in a small can of chopped green chilis, a finely diced onion and 2-3 tbsp of adobo seasoning. (I use this recipe forever now!) Pour in about 1/4-1/2 cup of chicken broth, depending on how dry it is, mix up and fill flour tortillas. Put some cheese on top of the chicken, roll up and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

enchiladas

When all the enchiladas are assembled, cover with red sauce and bake for 15 minutes at 375. Done! Other than cooking the chicken, dinner is done in only about 30 minutes, and I promise, everyone’s happy! (Well, I can’t really promise, but you’ll be happy to be out of the kitchen in a short time and your kids will be happy to have dinner on the table!)

enchiladas

Don’t they look good? Everyone left the table stuffed.

But back to the Hamilton Beach Wave Action blender. It’s profile is small so it doesn’t take up a lot of room. It is compact yet big enough to take care of business without overflowing, and its 700 watts of power really make sure whatever you add into the pitcher is chopped, pureed or whatever you need, as fast as you need it. I really like that it has the scoop/stir-spoon for easy additions through the top hole, or stirring in the event you need to move things around. (I didn’t have that problem at all, but I know my other blender does.) The spout on the lid fits tightly with no leaks during blending, and when I tilted it too much while taking it to the stove, no drips despite the really crazy angle I was carrying it. One additional thing that I really like is that all of the areas where food would interact are BPA-free.

Check it out at the Hamilton Beach website and look at all the specs more closely. But, if you’re interested, I’m also giving one away to one lucky reader! Enter for a chance to win via the Rafflecopter widget below and Hamilton Beach will send the product to the winner directly. I know whoever wins it is going to enjoy this addition to their kitchen gear!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you a smoothie lover or maybe a shake maker? Let me know your favorite recipes!

Tweet
Share18
Pin
18 Shares

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: giveaway, hamilton beach, recipe

Previous Post: « Macy’s Back to School Fashion Event! Are You Going, Too?
Next Post: California Pizza Kitchen Has A New Menu! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly Tupick

    August 13, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    I need a blender to make my jamba juice smoothies at home. I have a ton to make that are in freezer and i have no blender. I am using a small chopper right now but you can only do a very small amount at a time and you have to break the ice up first so it really is a pain to make.

    Reply
  2. lisa brown

    August 13, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    I mostly need a blander for soup and salsa.

    Reply
  3. Julie

    August 13, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    I need a blender for my Fruit and yogurt smoothies, especially now that school is coming up! It will help me make the smoothies so fast!

    Reply
  4. Maribel Reyes

    August 13, 2015 at 4:47 pm

    I use a blender daily, for smoothies, sauces, bisque. We are a family that loves homemade salsas so we do a batch every other day too.

    Reply
  5. Melissa Teears

    August 13, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    I need a blender to make smoothies .

    Reply
  6. courtney b

    August 13, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    I mostly need a blender for making my smoothies 🙂

    Thanks so much! would die to win this! xoxoxo

    Reply
  7. Samantha Daleo

    August 14, 2015 at 6:25 am

    My husband likes to have smoothies or juices in the mornings a lot of times and a blender is the perfect way to make those.

    Reply
  8. Ellen Casper

    August 14, 2015 at 6:39 am

    I love making smoothies in a blender.

    Reply
  9. Lauren

    August 14, 2015 at 6:53 am

    I need a new blender for smoothies.

    Reply
  10. HS

    August 14, 2015 at 7:30 am

    I need a blender to make smoothies.

    Reply
  11. Ann

    August 14, 2015 at 8:52 am

    I got rid of my old blender a while ago–it just wasn’t working. It would be great to have a new blender for……MARGARITAS!

    Reply
  12. KK Garcia

    August 14, 2015 at 4:50 pm

    I need a new blender, Ralph loves margaritas and our old one went kaput!

    Reply
  13. James Robert

    August 14, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    My kids like making smoothies, I like making milkshakes or things like orange julius

    Reply
  14. Dawn Monroe

    August 14, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    I would use it for my husbands protein shakes and milk shake treats for my grand kids.

    Reply
  15. Karen Nadeau

    August 15, 2015 at 5:53 am

    I would like a blender so I can make some healthy drinks for my girls.

    Reply
  16. Sarah Hall

    August 18, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    I would love to have this so I could make smoothies for the whole family.

    Reply
  17. Jen Verbrugge

    August 18, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    Smoothies for my picky eaters. It’s a great way to get spinach in their little bodies. Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  18. JESSICA C

    August 18, 2015 at 10:02 pm

    morning shakes. my blender died…. to I need a new one

    Reply
  19. aaron reck

    August 19, 2015 at 4:36 am

    Smoothies are really good. I am trying to do more kale and things like that but I won’t lie, I’ll probably mostly make milkshakes.

    Reply
  20. Pamela Edens

    August 19, 2015 at 5:05 am

    I love to tackle new ideas and recipes!! This would be awesome

    Reply
  21. shelly peterson

    August 19, 2015 at 9:22 am

    I would love this blender to make smoothies and milkshakes.

    Reply
  22. Melissa S

    August 19, 2015 at 10:32 am

    We need a blender for smoothies, milkshakes and blending fruit and yogurt for homemade ice pops.

    Reply
  23. Jessica To

    August 19, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    I have never had a blender so I would like one to make smoothies for my son and I!

    Reply
  24. betty m r

    August 19, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    I would use it to make the kids healthy drinks !

    Reply
  25. Heather Hayes Panjon

    August 19, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    I Need A Blender For Smoothies And Milkshakes.

    Reply
  26. ashley crawford

    August 19, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    So i can make my own smoothies, being allergic to bananas i can’t buy those that are in store 🙁

    Reply
  27. Marilyn Legault

    August 19, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    I like making smoothies in a blender

    Reply
  28. Missy Win

    August 19, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    I need a blender to make smoothies and frozen drinks.

    Reply
  29. Janice Cooper

    August 19, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    My blender is broke and I miss making my delicious smoothies and milk shakes.

    Reply
  30. Lee McKeon

    August 19, 2015 at 7:22 pm

    I need it to make high protein smoothies for my family!

    Reply
  31. Charles Bradshaw

    August 19, 2015 at 8:15 pm

    I would love to have a blender to make smoothies. I love fruit smoothies and would love to try green smoothies.

    Reply
  32. allison

    August 19, 2015 at 8:17 pm

    having a blender would give me some healthier options for eating! Thanks so much for the chances to win.

    Reply
  33. Kristine

    August 19, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    We need a blender to make smoothies!

    Reply
  34. Maggie Smith

    August 19, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    Hummus and sauces!

    Reply
  35. Donna Ouimette

    August 19, 2015 at 11:01 pm

    to make fresh fruit and veggie smoothies

    Reply
  36. Katrina Angele

    August 20, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    I use my blender a lot to make smoothies and milkshakes.

    Reply
  37. Cindy H

    August 20, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Mostly to make my morning smoothies! I need a good one that crushes ice!

    Reply
  38. Tina M. Counterman

    August 20, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    My boyriend just had his teeth pulled out and had surgery on his mouth, so he needs a blender to puree his food and make smoothies in so he can eat.

    Reply
  39. Anita Mitchell

    August 20, 2015 at 10:30 pm

    Well,I love smoothies and fruit drinks. I would use it for that.

    Reply
  40. erica pearsall

    August 21, 2015 at 10:40 am

    margaritas

    Reply
  41. Tee A

    August 22, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    I love making smoothies for my kids. It’s a great way to make a nutritious drink.

    Reply
  42. Gina Gallagher

    August 23, 2015 at 8:24 am

    My favorite things to make in a blender are pancake batter, smoothies and pesto sauce!

    Reply
  43. beth embrey

    August 23, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    This would mean i could make milkshakes easier for my family of 11 instead of using a bowl and hand mixer (MESSY and time consuming)

    Reply
  44. Lupita m

    August 23, 2015 at 4:27 pm

    A need a blender to make smoothies for my kids.

    Reply
  45. Juanita A May

    August 23, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    I need a blender to make smoothies and frozen drinks for my family.

    Reply
  46. DJ

    August 24, 2015 at 5:57 am

    I would love this blender for breakfast smoothies.

    Reply
  47. Birdiebee

    August 24, 2015 at 11:14 am

    I most need a blender for making drinks and smoothies.

    Reply
  48. ana b

    August 24, 2015 at 6:52 pm

    i need a blender to make smoothies. for my son.

    Reply
  49. Tamra H

    August 25, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    I need a blender to make smoothies for my family in the mornings!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing, and midlife isn’t a bad word. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

Follow on Instagram
Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, specifically midlife, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2023 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT