I made all of DS's food, and I found an immersion blender to be a perfect tool for my needs. (DS is 2.75 and I still make him a huge batch of pearsauce every couple of weeks--6-10 pears' worth). When you're first introducing foods you want to give it to them for several days in a row, so the idea of making a bigger batch can be a time-saver (it was for me). I froze in ice cube trays, then popped them out and stored frozen in bags. If I wanted to mix stuff I just grabbed a cube or two of different things and stirred them together when I thawed and warmed them.
This site is great for a resource. With it I didn't have to buy (or check out of the library) a single book.
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
L, mommy to my one and only, super-sweet boy, G 6/08
I'm pro-big bird, and I vote.