We admit, cooking and baking can be time-consuming -- and with every recipe there are multiple steps that need to be taken to get to the final result, a home-cooked meal on the table. What if there was a way to cut down on some of the most time-consuming tasks and get you back to cooking without excuses ? There's an appliance you might already own that can help you cut down on precious time. It's the food processor.

Unlike a blender, which is best for blending liquids , a food processor can do much more. It can puree, shred, grate, mix up doughs/batters and more. A 30-minute meal (a la Jamie Oliver ) can be a reality. If you don't believe us, we've got 20 recipes in the slideshow below from across the web that prove it's possible.

What's your favorite use for the food processor? Leave a comment.

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