Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Fudgy Pudgy Cake

Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Fudgy Pudgy Cake
by Holly K of Holly's Table
Adapted from Baked Fudge Pudding Cake

Cooking spray
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel, or 1 teaspoon freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1/2 cup whipped, for serving
1/4 cup crushed pistachios, for serving
1/4 favorite berries, for serving


Spray the inside of the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker  with cooking spray and set on low to heat.

Combine the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a small bowl, set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs on medium-high until thickened. Sprinkle in the sugar slowly and continue to beat until very thick. Drizzle in the butter. Add the vanilla. Keep mixing. Add in the orange peel, nutmeg and cocoa mixture. On low, stir in the cream.

Pour the batter into the slow cooker. Line the lid with paper towels to prevent condensation. Cook on low 3 hours. 

Top with nuts, berries and whipped cream. Serve warm.

Chiffonade’s Pork with Hatch Green Chiles

This dish can be served as a “Bowl O’ Green” or as soft tacos or over rice. I love it as a sauce for Huevos Rancheros with soft tortillas, black beans and poached eggs. Don't forget the jack cheese! It’s very versatile and perfect for a chilly day – also great for those Football Sundays with a crowd! The ingredient list is short, because Hatch chiles and pork are the stars.

Chiffonade’s Pork with Hatch Green Chiles
by Louise

10 large medium-heat Hatch green chiles
8 tomatillos
5 pounds pork (country ribs or shoulder)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

For serving:
Tortillas
Sour cream
Jalapenos

Roast the chiles either on a grill, gas stovetop or oven broiler until the skins are black. Place the chiles in a large bowl covered with plastic and allow to steam 10 minutes. Peel off the charred skin. Cut off tops of chiles, discarding seeds. Split chiles and with the back of a knife, remove any seeds and ribs. Cut chiles into 2” pieces and set aside.

Quarter tomatillos and place in slow cooker sprayed with vegetable spray. Add the boneless pork (if using boneless country ribs, they can be placed whole in the Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Oval Programmable Slow Cooker; if using shoulder, cut the pork into chunks.) Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin. Add roasted chiles to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH 1 hour, stir; then cook on LOW 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Green Chilaquilies

If you ever find yourself with guests over the holidays and want to do a unique brunch or breakfast type meal for dinner, try these chilaquiles. You could also have them for breakfast or brunch, but you would need to prepare them the night before. The recipe looks very long, but it is not difficult. This is because you have the choice of three different varieties of chilaquiles, which I describe in the recipe. You could choose red, green, or mole. You will need a few different items for each recipe, but overall they are all very simple. It is one easy recipe, designed to fit your crowd's liking. And, best of all, it's easily prepared in a slow cooker! My current slow cooker is the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker. It's truly a beautiful kitchen appliance, and it is a breeze to work with. I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself. Every kitchen should have one!

I actually think that these chilaquiles taste better the next day, so you could easily prepare them while cooking dinner, watching a movie, or playing board games with your friends. Or just hanging out, having a drink and relaxing. It does take about six hours to complete this meal. But it refrigerates well, and it tastes awesome the next day. So, toss it together when you are spending quality time with your friends and family, let it do its thing and enjoy the next day. All you will have to do in the morning is fry up the fresh tortillas and chop the avocados, onions, and cilantro. Toss some cheese and crema on, and you are good to go. Enjoy! Or rather, Buen Provecho! Again, please visit the Hamilton Beach website and check out all of their cool products. You won't be disappointed!

Slow Cooker Green Chilaquilies (with the Option to Make Red or Mole)
by Chris
Adapted from Chicken Chilaquiles, The Shady Porch

3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, defrosted (enough to sit in the bottom of your slow cooker without overlapping too much)
Cooking spray
3 - 4 Tablespoons chicken stock
Hispanic hot sauce of your choice (I used Achiote)
Liquid smoke (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 packet of Sazon, if available (if not, Latin/Hispanic seasonings to your taste - cumin, cayenne, chile powder, etc., about 1 Tablespoon)
Kosher salt
2 - 3 Tablespoons of oil (your choice), for sautéing
2 cups chopped onions
Minced garlic/garlic powder, cumin, and other seasonings of your choice (optional, to be used with the onions)
4 cups of sauce (your choice, see below), plus add-ins (depending on which recipe you use)
2 cups chicken stock
3 - 4 handfuls of unsalted tortilla chips, as intact (large chips) as possible (about 1/2 of a 14- to 15-ounce bag)
1 large bag of corn tortillas (at least 3 tortillas for each person eating), cut into quarters or six pieces
Oil for frying tortillas - corn, vegetable, canola, etc (enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet/frying pan)
Avocado (optional, for serving)
Extra diced or sliced onion (optional, for serving)
Cilantro, chopped (optional, for serving)
Queso Fresco/Blanco (feta will work, if you can't find the others), crumbled (for serving)
Crema Mexicana (or sour cream)

You need to decide which type of chilaquiles you will be making - red, green, or mole. You will need the following for the one you choose:

Red - 1/2 a can of Ro-tel tomatoes and green chiles; 4 cups of red enchilada sauce or salsa
Green - 1 small can chopped/diced green chiles; 4 cups of green enchilada sauce or salsa
Mole - 1/2 cup extra diced onions; 4 cups of prepared mole sauce

*The add-ins can be anywhere from 4 to 7 ounces, they will all cook down about the same. Feel free to add a little garlic, cumin, etc., during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking the onion mixture, if you'd like.

Spray the interior of your slow cooker well with cooking spray. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of chicken stock, about a Tablespoon of your preferred hot sauce, and 4-5 drops of liquid smoke (if using) to the pot and stir. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Cover generously with freshly ground black pepper. Then sprinkle half of the packet of Sazon (or about 1/2 Tablespoon of your seasoning mix) over the chicken. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and press all seasonings into the chicken. Flip the chicken over and repeat the seasoning process: Black pepper, Sazon/seasoning and salt. Again, press into the chicken meat. If you have any extra Sazon or spice mixture, feel free to add it to the liquid in the slow cooker at this time. Take the seasoned chicken and place it in the slow cooker, turning it in the liquid once or twice to coat. When all chicken is in the slow cooker, cover with the lid and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.

After 1 1/2 hours of cooking on high heat, quickly open the slow cooker and flip the chicken over. Replace the lid, and set to cook for another 1 1/2 hours. While the chicken is cooking, decide on which sauce that you would like to use. You have three choices - green, red, or mole. Follow the instructions listed below for the type of sauce that you would like. Do your prep work while the chicken is cooking. Sauté your onions and other add-ins in the 2 - 3 Tablespoons of oil.

After 3 hours total, remove the chicken from the slow cooker, allow to cool for a bit, and shred. Leave your slow cooker on the warm setting while finishing up your sauces, add-ins, and chicken.

*For red chilaquiles, sauté 2 cups of diced onion with 1/2 a can of Ro-tel (tomatoes and chiles, drained.)

*For green chilaquiles, sauté 2 cups of onions with 1 small can of diced/chopped green chiles (drained.)

*For mole chilaquiles, sauté 2 1/2 cups diced onion.

Sauté any of these combinations for about 6-7 minutes over medium/medium-high heat, until onions are translucent and soft and the add-ins have dried out a bit. At this point, prepare your sauce/salsa. I personally prefer enchilada sauce to salsa, although some people do like salsa better. It really is up to you - use what you have or prefer. Either way, you will need about 4 cups of your chosen sauce/salsa (if using canned enchilada sauce, use 2 15-ounce cans. The excess amount will be added by the Ro-tel/chiles/onions.) If you are making mole chilaquiles, follow the directions on your jarred mole sauce in order to have 4 cups ready to put into the slow cooker. The mole will cook down and become thicker, so do make sure that it is fairly thin to begin with (or prepare a bit more, maybe 5 cups, just to be sure that your chilaquilies don't dry out.)

When all of your prep work is done, place the onion mixture, sauce, shredded chicken, and the 2 cups of chicken stock into the slow cooker. Cover and allow to cook for 1 hour on high heat.

Open the slow cooker, stir well, and add the 1/2 bag of unsalted chips. Gently mix them into the chilaquiles, trying not to break them up. Cover them with the sauce but do not break them! Set the slow cooker to low heat, and let cook for 30 minutes.

While the slow cooker is on low, begin preparing to serve. Take 2-3 corn tortillas for each person and cut into quarters or sixths. Pour frying oil into skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering hot, add tortilla pieces and fry, about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle salt lightly on fried chips while they are warm. Repeat this process as many times as necessary in order to have enough fresh chips (2-3 tortillas) for each person. Also slice or chop your avocado, cilantro, and extra onion. Bring out your cheese and cream.

To plate the chilaquiles, simply put the freshly fried tortilla pieces on a plate or in a large bowl. Spoon the desired amount of slow-cooked chicken on top, and garnish as desired with avocado, cilantro, onion, crumbled cheese, and crema. Serve with refried beans, nopalitos (cactus), more tortilla chips, or whatever else your group likes. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil

This is melt-in-your-mouth pork and the anchiote paste is key. If you cannot find it at your local store, it is available on amazon.com. It is also best to use freshly squeezed juice if possible. This is perfect to put together the night before and then place in the slow cooker and forget it.  

Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil 
by Tracy 
Adapted  from Conchinita Pibil in  Houston Classic Mexican Recipes

Equipment:
Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Slow cooker liner

2 banana leaves
4-5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch thick steaks
2 Tablespoons salt
1 ½ Tablespoons black pepper
1 Tablespoon cumin 
6 cloves garlic
½ cup anchiote paste
3/8 cup grapefruit juice
1/3 cup orange juice
¼  cup lime juice
¼ cup lemon juice
¾ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons oregano
2 bay leaves
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 banana leaves
6 large tomatoes, sliced
1 large onion, sliced

Place the slow cooker liner in the crock of the slow cooker. Using the banana leaves, lay them down into the slow cooker in a cross pattern. Later you will wrap up the ingredients into a “banana leaf package.”  

Brown the pork steaks on both sides using a grill or saute pan. Place them on top of the banana leaves in the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic cloves, anchiote paste, juices, vinegar, oregano, bay leaves and jalapeno. Whisk together until anchiote paste is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the pork in the slow cooker. Layer the tomatoes and onions on top. Enclose the ingredients with the banana leaves, removing any excess if needed. Place the lid on the slow cooker and program to cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves and discard the banana leaves. Serve with flour tortillas and pickled red onions.  

Blueberry Raspberry Loaf

Blueberry Raspberry Loaf
by Christine

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
zest of 1small lemon
Juice of 1/2 small lemon
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1 large egg
1 egg white
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 Tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, reserved for topping

Oil bowl of the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Programmable 6 Qt. Slow Cooker

In a large bowl or stand mixer combine vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, egg, egg white, and milk until combined. In a small bowl combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until smooth. Fold in blueberries and raspberries. Pour into oiled Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker and set on high for 1 hour 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

I must have gotten my food genes from my dad and grandmother, who both loved food as much as I do. The rest of my relatives are picky to put it mildly. None of them will eat the dark meat of a turkey, one of them refuses to eat cheese (which I don’t understand to this day), and “weird” vegetables like sweet potatoes and stuffing with sausage would never be allowed at a holiday meal.

This is why I always offer to make dessert. It’s much easier to please a picky crowd. I was given this recipe from a friend’s mother years ago and it always seems to be a hit. It’s chocolate, it’s cake, and it’s pudding. What’s not to like? And the recipe works even better in the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker than it does in the oven.

Here’s why: First of all, this cake is best served warm. The warm setting on the slow cooker keeps the cake warm without overcooking it, which means you can have dessert right after that big turkey dinner or later on with some coffee and it’s still warm and delicious! I let my cake sit in the slow cooker on low for an hour and a half after the initial cooking time. The cake stayed moist, the pudding stayed creamy, and it tasted as good as it did when it was first done.

Also, the slow cooker lets you free up oven space during the holidays, which is always a challenge for those of us with limited kitchen space. It also frees up time, which I think we can all use more of, especially when trying to put together a big meal. This is a super easy recipe, and the slow cooker makes it even easier: Set the program to cook at low for 4 hours and at the end of the cooking time, it automatically switches to warm. As the name says, Set and Forget!

Chocolate Pudding Cake
by Jennifer

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
1/2 cup whole milk
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
Whipped cream for serving, if desired

Butter the bottom and sides of the insert of a Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker. Add flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 Tablespoons cocoa to the insert and mix well. Add milk, melted butter and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread batter evenly in pan.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture over the batter in the slow cooker. Pour hot water over everything in the slow cooker. Place a kitchen towel over the slow cooker and place the lid on top of the towel (this will keep water from dripping back onto the cake). Program the slow cooker for 4 hours on high. It will automatically switch to warm after the cooking is complete. Served topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Banana Slow Cooker Stuffed French Toast

Time for brunch! Mimosas anyone? This is a must-do recipe for a weekend brunch. If you want to show off without showing off, this'll knock the socks off of your friends and guests alike. And talk about easy, this is extremely so. Just assemble it and let the slow cooker do it's thing. Serve with fruit and you're done!

Chocolate Banana Slow Cooker Stuffed French Toast
by Holly

Cooking spray
Parchment paper
1 loaf Challah bread, cut into 3/4" slices (about 10 pieces)

2 bananas, sliced into discs
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
6 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cut parchment to fit bottom of cooker. Spray with cooking spray and place inside. Liberally spray entire interior of cooker including the parchment.

Cut the bread and bananas. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cream, milk, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Layer half the bread, half the chips, half the bananas in your Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker. Layer the 2nd half of the bread, chips and banana. Cover with the egg mixture and press down to soak bread well.

Set your cooker on HIGH with a probe set to 170°F (about 2-2 1/2 hours.) Make sure probe is placed in the middle (careful not to touch bottom of the cooker.) Remove lid and continue to cook on HIGH another 15 minutes.

Let rest 5 minutes and cut into wedges. Serve with butter and fresh fruit.

Slow Cooker Cheesecake

I love cheesecake, but let's face it, most cheesecake recipes are meant to feed a small army.

Or perhaps it's just that they're scaled to fit a 9-inch springform pan.

This cheesecake is more petite - it fits into a 6-inch springform pan, which happens to fit perfectly into the Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Set  Forget Programmable Slow Cooker.

Not all slow cookers are the same, so if you're using something that's significantly different, you might need to adjust the timing. And, of course, make sure that the 6-inch springform pan fits into your slow cooker!

Slow Cooker Cheesecake
by Donna

For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Wrap the bottom and sides of a 6-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. Since the pan doesn't actually sit IN the water, you might not need to do this, but I never trust a springform pan around water - I always wrap, for insurance.

In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and salt. Or, save a bowl and do the mixing in the same plastic bag where you crushed the crackers. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. If you want a little less crust, you don't need to use it all - it's up to you.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar and salt; beat until combined and the cream cheese is smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until well blended. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth.

Note: you can do this beating with an electric mixer, but beat slowly - electric mixers tend to beat air into the product, and that's not what you want here.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared springform pan. This filled my springform pan almost exactly to the top - if your pan is slightly taller or shorter, yours might not fill quite as full, or you might have a little excess.

Put a metal rack in the bottom of the slow cooker and add water just to the bottom of the rack. Place the cheesecake on the rack.

Cover the top of the slow cooker with a clean kitchen towel or a cloth napkin. This will collect the condensation so it doesn't drip onto the top of the cheesecake. Put the lid on top of the towels.

Turn the slow cooker to low and set for 2 hours. DON'T PEEK. When two hours are up, turn the slow cooker off and turn the lid crosswise on top of the slow cooker. Leave the towel in place, just turn the lid so the cheesecake can slowly begin to cool. Since the Hamilton Beach slow cooker is so well insulated, it holds the heat really well, so if you leave the lid on, the cheesecake won't cool off much at all.

 Let the slow cooker cool for one hour with the cheesecake resting inside.

Remove the lid, remove the towel, and remove the cheesecake. Refrigerate until well-chilled, about four hours. Or until tomorrow.

Run a thin-bladed knife between the cheesecake and pan, then release the spring and remove the cheesecake.

Note: slicing is cleaner if you run the knife blade under hot water then wipe it off after each cut. If it matters. Or not.

Shredded Beef Sliders

Our latest challenge for 37 Cooks is sponsored by Hamilton Beach. This was another awesome challenge for us, as the kind folks at Hamilton Beach sent each of us a Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker. When my slow cooker arrived and I opened it, my wife said I looked like a kid at Christmas! I don't get excited by a lot of things anymore, what with me being old, cynical and cranky, but lemmee tell ya, this is a badass slow cooker. The first thing that impressed me was the cooking probe! I've used probe thermometers before, usually when I'm smoking a pork butt, and I've never seen one on a slow cooker before! I also like the "Set & Forget" feature that you can use along with the probe. Set the slow cooker up, insert the probe, set it to cook for a certain amount of time and it automatically turns to the warm setting so your food don't overcook! Awesome feature. When we signed up for this challenge, the first thing I thought of was Italian beef sandwiches. I guess this is a very regional dish and, just like Philly Cheese Steaks, no two recipes are the same, so I decided just to wing it and see what happens! I made little sliders, but this recipe would be much better on a good crusty roll to soak up all the juices. Here we go...

Shredded Beef Sliders 

by Matt the Butcher

2 large onions, roughly chopped
3 to 4 pound boneless beef shoulder roast
4 cups beef broth or water
2 heads garlic, peeled
3 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package onion soup mix
1 16-ounce jar of giardiniera
Some good crusty rolls or bread
Plenty of napkins. This stuff is delicious and very sloppy!

Put the onions in the slow cooker, lay the beef roast on top. Add the broth, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, black pepper and the dry onion soup mix. Cover and using the program mode, program the slow cooker to cook for 10 hours on the Low setting. After 10 hours, the cooker automatically sets itself to the Warm setting, which is awesome if you're not home when the food is done. Right before serving, remove the roast and the bay leaves, setting the roast aside to rest. Drain the giardiniera and put it into the slow cooker. Mix it into the gravy and let it sit. Taking 2 forks, shred all the meat and put it back into the gravy. Slice the rolls, break out the napkins and call everyone to the table. Using a slotted spoon, pick up a nice spoonful or two, placing it on a roll and dig in!

Made in the USA, with love, by Matt the Butcher

Cooks note: I'm a butcher by trade and whenever a customer asks me what the best cut of beef to use for a pot roast is, I always recommend a beef shoulder roast. You can pretty much use whatever cut of beef that you prefer, as you're gonna cook it till it shreds, but I like the shoulder roast. There's not as much fat in it as a chuck roast and I find that a bottom round or top round just doesn't have the flavor of a shoulder roast.

Slow Cooker Albondigas

Years ago, a co-worker of mine shared her recipe for Albondigas with me. Over the years, I've tweaked the original recipe here and there and it's become a favorite of ours on chilly autumn and winter evenings. I've made it over and over and over, but never in a slow cooker. Well, when Hamilton Beach came along as one of our sponsors here at 37 Cooks, I immediately thought to myself, "why not try slow cooking my Albondigas?" The Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is great! It's so big and I love that I can program it for a set time and it automatically switches to the "warm" setting when the time is up, keeping the soup nice and warm until we're ready to eat. This is a great feature, especially during the busy holiday season when we don't always have time to fuss with dinner late in the day. I'm happy to say that the soup turned out great (it's been husband and neighbor approved.) I will definitely be making my Albondigas in the slow cooker from now on!

Slow Cooker Albondigas
by Susan W.

For the meatballs:
1/4 cup long grain rice (not instant rice)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 15-ounce can tomato sauce (reserve the rest for the soup)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
2 quarts beef stock
2/3 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Anaheim chiles, roasted*, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the meatballs, place 1/4 cup rice in 1/2 cup boiling water and set aside for a few minutes while you chop onions and mince the garlic. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, cumin, kosher salt and ground pepper. Drain rice really well and add to bowl. Gently mix ingredients together with your hands and then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, setting each meatball aside on a plate.

For the soup, first prepare your chiles (directions below.) Combine all of the soup ingredients in the slow cooker and stir well.

Gently place the meatballs into the soup (don't stir.) Set slow cooker to "low" setting and cook for 7 hours (the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget slow cooker will automatically switch to the warm setting when the time is up.) Serve with flour tortillas and butter or some crusty bread. Enjoy and have a great holiday season!

*To roast chiles: Rinse and pat chiles dry. May them on a baking sheet and place baking sheet under broiler. Watch the chiles very closely while broiling. When the skin turns black, turn and continue broiling until the skin on each chile is black on all sides. Remove to a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Peel, remove seeds and chop.

Pork Possibilities!

I was so excited when I found out that our next sponsor was Hamilton Beach! The slow cooker I have been using for the past few years was a 2 quart high/low model. The  Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker puts that old one to shame! This is a wonderful slow cooker and the large 6 quart size is perfect around the holidays to cook a large quantity of food for friends and family. Put it in the night before or morning of and a great meal is cooking while you can focus on other things like actually getting a chance to enjoy your company! It truly makes cooking for a crowd much easier.

I cooked a large piece of pork that made many, many meals for my husband and I. The great thing is that there are so many possibilities for the leftovers!

Pulled Pork with Sweet and Spicy Rub

Sarah 

8 pound pork shoulder

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons hot paprika

1 Tablespoon hot chili powder

1 Tablespoon granulated onion

1 Tablespoon granulated garlic powder

1 Tablespoon mustard powder

10-15 good grinds each of salt and pepper

1 large onion, sliced thick

Avocado oil

Trim the excess fat from the pork shoulder. Mix the next 7 ingredients in a small mixing bowl with a fork. Do it slowly and use the fork to break up the brown sugar until everything is incorporated. I did these 2 steps the day before, wrapped the shoulder in saran wrap and let it rest in the fridge until the next morning.

 

When you are ready for the slow-cooker, take out the pork from the fridge and let it sit a while to get back to room temperature. Heat up a large (large!) sauté pan over medium-high heat and drizzle a little avocado oil to coat the pan.  Carefully sear all sides of the meat. Slice a large union into thick slices.  Layer them on the bottom of the slow cooker and place the pork on top. Set & Forget it on low for 12 hours.

 

The pork will be so tender the bone comes right out and the meat will shred easily with forks.  The first night I served the pork with sides requested by my husband for a delicious pork dinner: Arroz con Gandules and Fresh Corn.

 

Spicy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Slaw

 

Leftover pulled pork

Rolls of your choice

 

Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce:

½ small onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

½ cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup brown sugar

few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

3 chipolte peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 tablespoon avocado oil

 

Simple Slaw:

1 small head cabbage, sliced

1 large carrot, shredded

1 small onion, sliced thin

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon celery seed

salt and pepper, to taste

 

To start the ketchup, heat a sauce pan over medium heat and all the avocado oil to coat. Add the onion and garlic and allow to sweat out for approx. 5 minutes. Next, add the ketchup, vinegar mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chipotle peppers. Stir and mix everything together.  Let simmer for about an hour and a half.

 

The slaw is easy and simple. Mix together well the cabbage, carrots and onion. Then add the mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seed and salt and pepper. Mix together again until nicely dressed.

 

To serve:

I heated up some leftover pork in a non-stick skillet, use your desired amount. No need to add any extra oil. Once the pork has become warm, add enough sauce to your liking. I like extra sauce! Allow to combine with the pork and heat through. I like to serve this on little potato rolls that have been toasted with the slaw right on top!

 

BBQ Pulled Pork Mac n’ Cheese

 

Leftover pulled pork

 

Cheddar Mac n’ Cheese:

1 short cut pound pasta, I used Cellentani

½ stick butter

¼ cup whole wheat flour

2 cups milk, I used 2%

1 cup sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup sharp white cedar cheese, shredded

¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded

few dashes of hot sauce, use your favorite I used Franks Red Hot

½ teaspoon mustard powder

fresh ground pepper, to taste

 

Boil the pasta in a large pot until al dente, read the box for correct cooking times.

 

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is all melted, add the whole wheat flour and stir until it comes together and becomes darker in color.  Then add the milk, hot sauce, mustard powder and fresh ground pepper. Stir gently to combine and until the milk becomes thick. Continue to stir and add in the cheese, a bit at a time. Take off the heat and toss with the pasta until the sauce and pasta is all combined.

 

To serve:

I served this the next day using leftovers, so all I needed to do with heat and combine everything through.

 

In a non-stick sauté pan, heat up the desired amount of pork. Once it warms through, add the desired amount of BBQ sauce until both are hot and combined. Do this on one side of the pan so you can heat up the mac n’ cheese on the other side (again, your desired amount.) Once the pork and pasta are all warm, mix it all together!

 

This was one of my husband’s favorite ways to eat the pork. Other great uses for leftover pulled pork include nachos, tacos, pizza, quesadillas, empanadas, soup, chili.. there are tons of possibilities! 

Ginger Spiced Applesauce

Applesauce is one of my favorite things to make in a slow cooker. It is so simple and quick to make and you can add whatever flavor enhancers your prefer. I love a nice spiced applesauce in the fall; it works as a side dish, by itself, or on top of some vanilla ice cream (give it a shot…it's delicious.)

This applesauce is a bit different though…instead of using any traditional liquid or sugar, I instead used some Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Hard Cider and, oh boy, is it yummy and it screams fall.

For this applesauce, I used my Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker. The Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Slow Cooker, allows me to set a specific cooking time and then it automatically switches to warm, just in case I get busy while this is cooking away. I don’t have to worry about it burning. 

Ginger Spiced Applesauce

by Jenny

6 medium to large apples – I used Granny Smith for the tartness, but you can use either Macintosh, Cortland, or any other apple you prefer.

3/4 cup Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Hard Cider

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Peel, core and dice the apples in large pieces – discard the peels and cores.  

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and set on low for about 4 hours*.  

Apples will become extremely soft/mushy. Mash apples with a fork or potato masher and enjoy!  

Keep in an airtight container for up to one week.

Extremely easy to make, throw it all in the slow cooker and come back in a few hours for some very tasty (if I do say so myself) applesauce! Best part – it is naturally gluten-free. If you choose to not use the hard cider, you can substitute that for 1/3 cup of water and 1/4 cup of honey.

*These instructions are specific to the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker, so if you are not using this one, you may need to adjust it slightly.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I love the holiday season; especially all of the cooking that is involved with it. However, there are days where, if you are like me, get overwhelmed with making sure everything is all set before everyone arrives. This is the perfect time to bring out your slow cooker! I use my HamiltonBeach 6 qt. Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker.  I use this slow cooker because of the programming capabilities that it offers. You can set it to program, probe, or manual – I make this recipe using the program mode so I can set the specific time, choose between high and low heat, and when programmed time is up, it automatically switches to warm…which let’s face it = less stress!

This recipe can be adjusted to your level of spice preference, it is super easy to make…simply place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker, Set ‘n Forget! Makes for a delicious appetizer for any holiday party or gathering.

To make sure this is gluten-free, simply read all of the ingredients and allergen warnings. I haven’t tried it yet, but if you wanted to make a dairy free version, simply substitute out dairy free versions of the ingredients listed below.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

By Jenny

2 ½- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (either boiled chicken breast, store-bought rotisserie, or even canned chicken will work well)

16 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese

2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 cups ranch dressing (try to avoid the low fat or fat free – it separates too much)

1 – 1 ½ cups hot sauce (Franks is my favorite for this)

Red Bell Pepper Strips

Celery Strips

Tortilla Chips

Prepare chicken – boil until cooked throughout and shred, or shred a rotisserie chicken. Set aside. Cube the cream cheese

Place all ingredients into the slow cooker in layers (cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, chicken, and then repeat). Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook for 2 hours on low.* Open, and stir dip well.

To serve, either place the dip in a large bowl, or leave in the slow cooker. Enjoy with vegetable strips such as peppers and celery or with tortilla chips.

*These instructions are specific to the Hamilton Beach 6 qt. Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker, so if you are not using this one, you may need to adjust it slightly.