Blenders can take over a lot of the chopping and some of the mixing from many popular recipes. You can make sauces, dips, dressings, smoothies, nut butters, baby food and purees, flours and cereals. Family favorites like pancakes, desserts, and crushed ice work well in a blender, too. You can even grind coffee beans to make your favorite brew. Keep in mind that blenders work better for coarse grinds rather than the fine grounds needed for espresso.