Camping with Your Slow Cooker

I didn't always like camping. I much preferred hotels or motels with maid service and a restaurant and clean towels.

And then I had kids. Don't get me wrong, I still love maid service and clean towels, but I hate spending lots of money and I hate having to get kids to sit still and have "restaurant behavior" when we are on a long trip. A few days here and there is absolutely fine, but sometimes you really just want a grilled cheese sandwich or a bowl of naked pasta and don't want to wait around in a booth at Applebees.

And I want my kids to be unplugged as much as possible, and I have got to admit the first thing I do when checking into a hotel or motel is to flip around and see "what kind of cable channels does this place have?"

I also want my kids to not be fearful of the outdoors and I like watching them dig with sticks and climb trees and just BE TOGETHER -- it forces all of us to work together to set up and break down camp and that kind of stuff warms my suburban soccer mom heart.

So I've embraced the dirt (thank you baby wipes!) and the sand (thank you dust buster!) and the laundry (dear help me, the laundry is just insane when we get home) and the chaos camping brings and now I can honestly say that I really really like being outdoors and pretty much all that camping has to offer.

And I bring along a slow cooker (or two).

Since we car camp and usually stick to a pretty family-friendly campground (mostly KOAs), we have electricity when we camp. Although we did recently decide to get a tiny pop-up tent trailer, I did use the slow cooker when we tent camped.

Just like at home, the kids are hungry and tired after a long day, and knowing that dinner is hot and ready after spending the day outside playing in the water or after a day touring around is just wonderful.

If you are tent-camping, I'd recommend having a long extension cord with you, and using one of the lockable-lid slow cookers. Obviously this isn't a way to cook if you are in bear country ---- I'm not going to even pretend to know how to bear proof a crockpot -- so don't do that!

If you've got a travel trailer or motorhome, you are already used to cooking in it, and I know a slow cooker is a mainstay in many RV kitchens already. Just like at home, I'd highly recommend a programmable slow cooker that will turn off when the cooking time has elapsed, so your food stays hot and safe to eat until you return back "home" for the day.

These are the cookers I happen to use and recommend, and you can usually find them at Bed Bath and Beyond or Kohls at a deep discount right now since the holidays are over.
I know that I'm terribly biased, but I do like the Ninja a lot for camping because having the stovetop and oven setting is pretty darn cool when away from home.

This is what I do to make camping and food-prep easier with the slow cooker:

1) do as much prep at home as possible. I like to chop all my veggies at home and separate our meals into Ziplock baggies and write on the outside of the bag what it all is (everything looks the same when it's frozen solid!) and then I freeze the bags at home to stack into the cooler.

2) if you are planning a chili or taco soup, brown the ground beef/turkey at home, and I'd suggest opening all the cans at home and then freezing in a zippered bag.

3) plan on lazy cooking --- which for us is usually a hunk of meat (or boneless chicken thighs) and a bottle of your favorite something sauce (bbq, simmer sauce, pasta sauce, etc.) Instead of bringing the jar or bottle, put the meat in a freezer bag and then put the sauce on it at home and freeze at home, so in the morning all you have to do is dump the contents into the cooker.

4) we usually do a sausage and vegetable medley -- which is super easy and all I do is make sure to have a 5-lb bag of potatoes with us and I do wash and cut those on the campground, then put in the bottom of a slow cooker with sliced chicken and apple sausage, and a bit of chicken broth (or white wine). If I've got a bag of baby carrots (which I usually do) I throw those in and any other random veggies I've got (bell peppers, brocolli).

5) save the leftovers from your sausage and veggie medley to do breakfast-for-dinner the next night (and any leftover hotdogs you might have). Scramble up 6-10 eggs or so with some milk then pour over the leftover potatoes and sausage and cook the next day.

6) baked potatoes or corn on the cob work great in the slow cooker, or you can do a layered dinner with meat and your potatoes and corn. My kids are super happy with a loaded baked potato for dinner, and since we usually have bacon for breakfast, I keep some for dinner time toppings. We always have a variety of cheeses with us, too.

7) planning ahead this way actually works in flexibility! I am not a slow cooker purist by any stretch of the imagination --- I also bring the pancake griddle which works great for quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches (and pancakes ;-) .). The kids still like to cook hotdogs on sticks, and we have a dutch oven that Adam uses over coals. If for some reason we have no power or are in a position where we don't feel safe leaving a crockpot plugged in, any of the prepared plastic bags can be dumped into a dutch oven or large pot to be cooked with propane, over coals, etc.

8) If you are on a roadtrip, see if your van or truck has an outlet in it. This way you can actually cook while you are driving. Lots of mini vans have outlets in the back and this works great to cook a large roast for pulled sandwiches or something not-too-soupy for eating on the road. If you've got an RV, you already know way more about this sort of thing than I do!

UPDATED: [please see the comment selection below for further information on cooking-while-you-drive. You most likely need an adapter to make this option work for you.]

I'm sure you already know this, but it bears repeating that this will drain your car battery if you are not actively driving. I wouldn't leave it plugged in your car if you plan on touring a museum for a long period of time, etc.

9) UPDATED: I've gotten a few emails about thermo slow cooking. I haven't personally tried this out yet, abut plan on it this summer. There are two well-reviewed companies that make these, and I think they'd be absolutely fantastic for camping.
Wonderbag and  Thermal Cook both ship world wide, and both companies have reached out and are run by wonderful people. When I have the opportunity to recipe test using these products, I will certainly write a thorough review. If you have had experience cooking in a thermal device, please share your feedback! 


I hope this helps a bit! Happy Camping!!

If you've got other suggestions or menu ideas, please let me know, I know I've got an awful lot to learn. Especially since one of my dreams is to travel cross-country and see EVERYTHING! :-)

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Slow Cooker Baked Bean Round-Up

I blinked, and now it's July. It's full-on summer mode in our house, which means that any sort of schedule or sense of parental control has gone completely out the window. I was good for about a week --- I kept the TV off between 10 and 4 and we were outside more than in, and the kids were cooperating with me and each other.

it was blissful.

and then it ended.

I now have a sore throat from all the yelling...

We're trying to camp as many weekends as we can this summer. We're  not doing anything spectacular -- just staying close to home and testing out different campgrounds within an hour or two from the house. We are the proud new owners of a tiny pop-up tent trailer, and we love it. I must admit that I'm not the best camper in the world, but I'm really trying to get better. I love the idea of unplugging for a bit here and there, and I think it's important for the kids to get dirty and not freak out when they come across bugs. I'm acutely aware that I'm raising three girls, and am trying my hardest to expose them to as much as I can and foster self-sufficiency.

the best part of the pop-up? It has outlets. For the crockpot(s). A bit of comfort from home is not a bad thing, right?

Top 10 Baked Bean Recipes:

1. Bourbon Baked Beans

2. Potluck Beans

3. Boston Baked Beans

4. Lima Bean Casserole Cassoulet

5. Mexican Black Beans

6. Honey Lentils

7. Cowboy Beans

8. Barbecue Beans and Weenies

9. Baked Beans with Jalapeño and Apple

10. Baked Bean Soup

Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July. Enjoy your family!!

other stuff:
 * lots of giveaways are happening on the Giveaway page!
* I wrote a freelance article on Potty Training for the What to Expect website
* there's nothing here. I just felt like I needed three asterisks. 



 

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"Eyes Closed" Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

We are enjoying the second week of summer vacation in our house. I love having the kids home with me. I sometimes feel like I "lose" them during the school year --- their teachers' somehow seem more "in charge" than I do, and while I'm head-over-heels in love with our school district, I just really like having my kids home with me.

I'm on a Little House on the Prairie kick again. I've written about my Little House love here and here and here -- there's just something about summer that makes me itchy to re-read the series (not a fan of the tv show so much) and spend more time outside instead of in. Melissa, a friend on twitter, also shares my love for all things Little House and at her suggestion I have been enjoying Into The West on dvd, Beyond the Prairie, and The Wilder Life.

All my reading has meant that I've decided (yet again) that my kids really need to step it up and help more around the house. So they made dinner.

I've called this Pot Roast "Eyes Closed" because it's so simple a grownup could throw it together while still half-asleep, or a child could easily load the crockpot with minimal instruction. If you're not comfortable with sharp knifes, onion flakes could be used instead, or you could pre-slice the onion yourself.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck or pot roast
1/4 cup prepared ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared A-1 steak sauce

The Directions.

Use a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Place the onion rings into the bottom of your cooker and separate the rings with your fingers. Place the meat on top of the rings. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup and A-1 sauce. Pour this mixture over the top.

If desired, you can rub this mixture into the meat with your fingers, or you can simply use kitchen tongs to flip the meat over a few times to get the meat nice and saucy (that's my choice, although my 11-year-old really enjoyed rubbing the sauce around and ended up with sauce up to her elbows....)

Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 6 hours. The meat should cut easily with a fork when it's time to serve. The longer you cook it, the more relaxed it will become. Serve with roasted sweet or brown potatoes and something green.

The Verdict.

I like sauces like this that are flavorful enough on their own that no extra seasoning is required. A-1 is pretty magical stuff--- it's got garlic and onion powder in it and is pretty salty -- you certainly don't need any added salt. Ketchup balances the A-1 with a sweetness that doesn't require any extra sugar. Definitely use the organic stuff if you're staying away from fructose sugars.
All 5 happily ate our dinner, and then the kids cleaned the kitchen. I'm pretty sure they grumbled much more than Laura and Mary ever would have, though...

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Slow Cooking in the Summer Months

The weather has warmed, and we're spending more and more time out in the yard. 

I love it.

But I STILL use my slow cookers more often than not for our family dinners, and I urge you to, too.

Slow cookers take up very little electricity to run when compared to your stove or oven, and they do not heat your kitchen up the way those other appliances do. You're not going to notice that your AC is struggling to keep the kitchen cool, and you're not going to be standing over a hot stove, trying not to drip into your pasta sauce.

(ew. that's really gross, steph.)

I've listed my favorite ways to use the cooker below --- if you've got a family favorite, add it to the list!

FISH
Love, love, love fish packets in the slow cooker. The fish steams perfectly in a foil or parchment-paper packet and you get a beautiful, flaky finished result without stinking (or heating!) up your kitchen.

FISH

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken
We make this chicken pretty often, and I like to use the leftovers on top of salads or in chicken sandwiches. If you don't want to mess around with a whole bird, dump in a bunch of your favorite frozen boneless, skinless pieces and then add the seasonings.

lemon rosemary chicken

 
Pesto Spinach Lasagna
This lasagna rocks. It's vegetarian, so it's automatically lighter than most lasagnas, and because you've got pesto layered in it each and every bite is absolutely bursting with loads of flavor. Put your basil crop to good use this summer!

pesto spinach lasagna

Lentil and Kale Super Food
Kale is good for you. Lentils are too. And together they work to create a great casserole that will keep you swimsuit-ready the entire season. (an added bonus? this tastes good. PROMISE.)

lentil and kale super food

Hot Dogs
And let us not forget that you can fit 60 HOT DOGS INTO ONE POT!
and that there is pretty darn impressive.

cook 60 hotdogs at once!

Basil Chicken with Feta
More basil! This Mediterranean-inspired dish that will keep all the picky people in your house happy.

basil chicken with feta

Cowboy Beef and Bean Sandwiches
although cowboys might not actually eat their sandwiches on rice cakes....?

beef and bean sandwiches

 
Applesauce
And while I certainly have quite a few desserts you can make in the crock, my favorite not-too-sweet dessert in the summer is Applesauce. We eat it both hot or cold --- and the kids love to add whipped cream and ice cream to their bowls for an even more decadent treat.

applesauce

Crayons

If you're like us and your playroom or household art area has more broken than whole crayons, no worries! You can melt them down in an aluminum muffin tin to make recycled crayons!

This is a great summer time playdate or girl/boy scout activity.

crayons

Enjoy your summer time months! Keep the slow cooker out --- you'll be thankful that you did!

Are you keeping up with our giveaways? Sign up with your email address so you'll always be alerted when there's a new giveaway posted!

have a great week!

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Easter Recipes for the Slow Cooker

 

Happy almost-Easter! 

We host Easter each year (except for when I'm pregnant or have a newborn, which means we haven't done it for the past two years. But that's not my fault because other people have offered, and I'd just be an idiot to not accept the offers. So, I still stand by my declaration that we host Easter every year...) and I love it.

Adam usually puts something on the barbecue, our family helps out by bringing side dishes or beverages, and I line up a bunch of crockpots on the countertop. 

There are too many of us to all sit around the table, so we kind of eat in shifts. The kids run around in circles because it's fun for the uncles to "chocolate them up" and the Easter egg hunt out back results in squished flowers, mud tracked indoors, and eventually tears when the egg-grabbing turns a bit too competitive. 

It's certainly not a scene Norman Rockwell would have chosen to paint--- but he should have.

Because honestly? The day couldn't possibly be any better.

and I can't wait.

If you're hosting, or bringing along something to share this year, I've got you covered. The slow cooker is your friend. Use it! And enjoy your family. 

Main Courses:

Honey Glazed Ham  (this is what we're having!)

Maple Ham

Mint Glazed Lamb (this is what we're having!)

Lemon and Rosemary Lamb

Traditional Leg of Lamb 

Leg of Lamb with Prunes

Side Dishes:

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

Company's Coming Potatoes AuGratin

Roasted Vegetables

Best Brussels Sprouts, ever!

Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Pecan-Topped Baked Sweet Potatoes

Honey Lentils

want more? here you go!

Appetizers:

Apricot-Balsamic Brie

Cranberries and Candied Pecans Brie

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Crab Dip

Roasted Garlic

Taco Dip

Tomatoes with Goat Cheese

want more? here you go! and dips, too!

We have dessert covered thanks to Zest Bakery, but if you don't:

 cheesecake

oreo cheesecake

creme brulee

peanut clusters

rocky road

rice krispies treats (hey, the REAL rice krispies are going gluten free in about a month. score!)

holiday pears (not for kids)

want more? here you go!

but whatever you do: DO NOT HARDBOIL YOUR EGGS IN THE CROCKPOT.

you're welcome!

:-)

If you're entertaining, and need a bit of help getting the house in order, no worries. I've got you covered with that, too!

Adam doesn't like pictures of the kids on the Internet, so this is the best you'll get!

Happy Easter!

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Slow Cooker Super Bowl Food

The Super Bowl lends itself to slow cooker food.  No matter if you're cooking at home, or bringing a potluck item to share to a party --- this list has got you covered.

Sandwiches. They make everyone happy, can be eaten easily on your lap, and these recipes can feed a good 12 people or so. I use gluten free hoagie rolls (Udi's makes some, as does Against The Grain).

Italian Beef Sandwiches
Peperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Barbecued Pulled Pork
French Dip
Philly Cheesesteak
Loose Meat
Beef and Bean
Portobello Mushroom (for the veggies!)





Dips. No, not your cousin Howard.  I'm talking cheesey, gooey, hot, drip-down-your-face dips. The more, the better!

Taco Dip
Not-too-spicy Bean Dip
Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Rotel (mommy crack)
Super Duper Garlic Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Crab Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip


 
Meatballs and Little Smokies Hotdogs. These are party staples!
 
Meatballs in Peanut Curry Sauce
Apple, Cheddar, and Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs in Cranberry BBQ Sauce
Not Your Mother's Meatballs
2 Little Smokies Recipes (grape jelly & chili sauce and big barbecue)
Barbecue Beans and Weenies






and then there is CHILI.
we've made a lot of chili these past 5 years!

21 Ingredient Chili
Pizza Chili
Enchilada Chili
Meat Lover's (low carb) Chili
Traditional Chili
White Chili
 Sweet Potato Chili
Clean Out the Pantry Chili
Black Eyed Pea Chili

and just in case this isn't enough ---- here are the absolute favorite potluck recipes. 

Have a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday!

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Slow Cooker Bourbon Baked Beans

 
I bought bourbon for the first time. I wasn't sure what kind to buy, but chose the Jim Beam because I recognized the name and it was on sale.

and then I made the most awesome baked beans known to man.

I checked with Shirley--- distilled alcohol is gluten free, yet some people react to anything made with grains. If you know you react, this might not be a good recipe for you. Here's a bit more on that from Shirley, at Gluten Free Easily.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10 as a side dish, 4-6 as main course


1 pound pinto beans, soaked overnight and then drained and rinsed
* SEE NOTE BELOW
      (if you don't have time to soak overnight, no problem. Put them in a large pot, and cover completely  
       with water. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, then turn off stove and cover pot. Let your beans sit 
        for 1 hour, then drain water and put beans into crockpot)
8 ounces bacon, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 onion, diced and browned
4-6 cloves garlic, diced and browned
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce (read labels carefully if avoiding gluten)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup bourbon

* NOTE: pinto beans sometimes seem to take a super long time to soften. If cooking on low for up to 14 hours is too long for you (or 8-10 on high) then try using small white Northern beans instead; they soften faster!)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet on the stovetop (or use your Ninja!) brown the bacon, onion, and garlic until the bacon is crisp and the fat has been rendered. Discard the fat, and pour the bacon mixture into an empty slow cooker.
Add the soaked and drained pinto beans. Now add the brown sugar, molasses, barbecue sauce, and dried ground mustard. Stir in chicken broth and bourbon.

Cover, and cook on low for 10-14 hours, or until beans are soft. If you live in a high-altitude, your beans may take longer to cook. If you prefer to cook on high, check after 6 hours or so.


I served our beans with homemade corn bread made from masa.



This is the recipe I used:

Preheat oven to 425° and lightly butter a cake pan. In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups masa
1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use Pamela's Baking Mix as my gluten free all purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

wet ingredients:
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 stick melted butter (1/4 cup)
2 eggs

Mix the dry ingredients together until well-incorporated and the baking powder isn't clumpy. You can sift, if you'd like, but that's kind of a lot of work for a quick cornbread. I end up using my fingers sometimes to break up clumps.
Then mix in the wet ingredients --- use a fork or a whisk, no need to use a machine. Pour batter into pan -- it'll be quite thick, and you may need to shove it around to get it in place.
Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes.

The Verdict.

These beans are perfect. I am SO looking forward to the next potluck --- they had tons of flavor and smelled absolutely amazing. All 5 of us licked our bowls clean. I'm really very pleased with this recipe, and I think you will be, too. If you don't want to use bacon, I bet a saved ham-bone/hock would be *perfect*.
The masa cornbread was an experiment. I didn't have cornmeal in the house and really wanted cornbread. This is quite tasty-- it's nowhere near as sweet as traditional cornbread and tastes "cornier" if that makes sense. This would be a more traditional flavor that the pioneers or Native Americans would have had. 

at least that's what I told the kids.


a few announcements:

~ Ninja has *very generously* increased my cooking system package to now include the roasting kit, the baking kit, the mini warmer, the travel tote, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty for the Holiday season. This is the absolute best package deal available for the Ninja Cooking System and is better than the infomercial offering. 

~ we are still hosting giveaways daily on the giveaway page! Click on over and enter to win!

~ Amazon has my Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life book on sale. Make 2013 the best year yet by getting completely (and totally!) organized. 

~ I'm going to be speaking next month at BlogHer PRO on pricing and proposals. I can not believe how much my life has changed ever since I made that silly resolution in 2008, and I am so very (very) thankful. I am always happy to share blogging info and what has/hasn't worked for me, and think this will be an extraordinary conference. 

Have a wonderful day!!

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Super Quick Thanksgiving RoundUp

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I wasn't planning on posting before the Holiday, and was going to wait until next week (because I made the most awesome bourbon baked beans in the history of the universe) but somehow the house is quiet, and the kids are enrossed in an Amazing Race marathon on the DVR. (we're rooting for the Beekman Boys after feeling like we "know" them since we watched their show on Netflix streaming).
  
So here you go!

We aren't hosting this year, but are instead bringing stuffing to my mom's house and a few different pies. We'll be making a traditional pumpkin, a crustless pumpkin (in the slow cooker) and the pecan pie from Simply Recipes (I make it gluten free by using GF crust and Pamela's baking mix as my all-purpose flour).

If you are looking for all of the slow cooker Holiday recipes, this post has the entire list.

If you'd like even more, a few of us put together a Thanksgiving Slow Cooker board on Pinterest. 

Don't throw away your turkey bones!

instead, make:

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

or

Turkey Stew

or

 

Smoky Turkey and Black Bean Soup

or

Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup.  

But you should use Turkey because that's what makes sense, here.

and here's a bonus stuffing recipe because I always forget about it, and it's a good one.

Stuffing with Apple and Sausage

Have a very very very happy Thanksgiving. Lots of love to you and your family!

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Tangy Lemon Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe

I've been watching Mad Men. It took a long time to get into the show--- a good 9 episodes into the first season before I really started looking forward to the next show. It would be on in the background, and I'd half-watch -- instead I was mostly folding laundry or goofing around on the internet. And then I got completely hooked.

Betty would make this chicken. And Don and her kids would eat it, and then lick the plate. She might just sit and watch though (and drink. she drinks a lot...) because she knows how she made it. Although the ingredients work and the chicken tastes amazing, and her kids and husband are clamoring for more, she just smiles that slightly impish smile and sits back to watch.

The inspiration for this chicken comes from a freezer full of chicken legs and a box of Lemon Jello and a sleeping baby who wouldn't allow me to get to the store. I had to make do; and I'm so glad I did. Adapted from CopyKat Recipes Sunshine Chicken and that from the KRAFT website --- this chicken is sweet, tangy, and very (very) surprising.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6


3 to 4 pounds chicken parts (I used frozen legs and a few breast halves)
1 (6-ounce) box Lemon Jello powder
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried minced onion flakes (or one tiny onion, finely diced)

The Directions.

Use a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. I used a 4-quart for this one, and didn't brown the legs beforehand. The color on the chicken you see up above came only from slow-cooking. If you prefer more of a brown color, or more texture, go ahead and brown beforehand. 
My chicken was frozen solid, too. If you have thawed chicken, shave about 90 minutes off of the cooking time.
Place the chicken into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the jello powder, melted butter, dijon mustard, and onion flakes. Stir together to make a paste. This isn't liquidy at all--- it's sort of a combo between paste and playdough. Smear this onto your chicken the best you can.
Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. I cooked our chicken on low for exactly 7 hours, then kept it on the warm setting for another 2 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf and something green.

Sit back and watch your family go nuts.

The Verdict.

I decided when I threw everything into the pot that this dinner could go one of two ways: it'd either rock or be an epic fail. Adam and the kids LOVED it. They all had seconds. I ate a good amount, but not as much as they did-- I liked it, but couldn't quite get over how I made it.

I will make this again; it's already been requested. I used full sugar Jello, but would imagine the sugar-free would work the same exact way. We had granola bar Rice Krispie Treats for dessert. 

~~~~

Fall has officially begun (although we're in shorts, today...) and if you need some Fall Friendly slow cooker dishes, this post will be good inspiration for you. Enjoy your weekend!


Lisa has been working hard on the giveaways --- we have a bunch posted over there! Go check them out, and get a good start on your Holiday lists!

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Introducing: The Ninja Cooking System

Holy cow, this is an awesome slow cooker.

And I am so excited that I can finally share it with you. I hate keeping secrets, and I've been keeping one (only because I had to sign a big, long, huge, legal document and big, long, huge, legal documents scare me).

Back in April, I got a phone call from a television producer. He was assembling a group to put together an infomercial for a new slow cooker cooking system. I was pretty hesitant and skeptical, and initially said no. Although I've spent hours and hours watching infomercials in the middle-of-the night while up with sick kids or newborns, I always just kind of brushed them off.

But Adam told me that I should at least hear him out. Since the product was still in production, the company couldn't let one out of the building for me to test out. Instead, they flew Adam and me out (to Boston!) to check it out for ourselves. It was the first time we had left all three kids, and while I was skeptical of the upcoming sales pitch, I was kind of excited to have a date night in Boston...

We flew out, had a great meal in Quincy Market, and then headed over to Euro-Pro's headquarters (they are the parent company of the Ninja and Shark products). I decided to play it cool, and not get my hopes too high.

and then I saw the machine.

I started to get really excited and immediately began opening and closing the pot and started to play around with the features. My voice got kind of squealy and I may have drooled a teensy bit (not quite sure, but it's entirely possible). And that's when my darling husband squeezed my arm and whispered (hey Steph, it's okay to let them pitch you) and I realized that I needed to be Business Like.

I agreed to be filmed for the Infomercial and was happy to sign on to help promote the new Ninja Cooking System. The infomercial will begin airing this week (probably in the middle of the night, but also sometimes during the day on random channels) and I can FINALLY tell you how completely and totally awesome this product is.

I personally have used every make and model of slow cooker on the market. In these past 4 years, I've tested and prepared over 1000 slow cooker recipes, and this truly (truly!) is the best cooker I've ever used.

It's perfect.

• The first thing you will notice is that it has a metal pot. The second thing you will notice is that the dial has a Stove Top and an Oven setting. It's NOT just a slow cooker--- it's a mini oven and a hot plate also.
  This is cool because you can brown your meat, caramelize your onions and garlic, and then switch it over to slow cook all day long. There's no need to drag out a frying pan at 6 am!! 

• Also, because of this stovetop setting, you can make a sauce reduction or gravy right in the pot after slow-cooking all day. No need to transfer the liquid to a separate pan. Way cool.

• Just like my "old favorite" pots, this cooker is fully programmable in 30-minute increments for both High and Low settings and will flip automatically to a Warm setting to keep your dinner hot and safe until you arrive home at the end of a long day.

• The oven setting goes all the way up to 425°, and because the lid traps in all the steam, you can count on really moist meats-- even if you don't have the time to slow cook all day long. I did ribs in 2 hours on the Oven (steam roast) Setting and they fell off the bone-- absolutely perfect ribs.

• Because of the lid and the trapped steam, you can bake light and moist breads, cakes, and muffins with half the fat or oil. The steam keeps your baked products super-moist, even with gluten free mixes or flours. AWESOME. (no need to do math --- just literally cut the oil or butter in half in your favorite boxed mix or homemade recipe).

•  The pot has "Triple Fusion Heat"--- because of this, both the sides of the pot and the bottom heat up while in the oven setting. This means you can make things you can't normally make in a slow cooker or even on the stovetop-- like a full spaghetti and meatball meal in just 20 minutes (raw spaghetti, water, jar of sauce, bag of frozen meatballs; all gluten-free is JUST fine, I've tested it out a bunch of times!). The pasta absorbs the liquid from the sauce and the water and cooks without needing to be drained. Love this.

• Since the pot is metal with a non-stick surface, it really cleans well. In my old stoneware pots I'd need to soak them overnight sometimes, and I'll even add a dryer sheet to release the baked lasagna or stuff like that, but this pot really does wipe out clean. It's also shatter proof, and can be safely loaded the night before in the fridge and placed right into the heating element. This is something that the other slow cooker manufacturers don't recommend.

So there you go! The only drawback I have is that it's more expensive than the other slow cookers on the market. But you have an awful lot more features, and the company has an awesome money-back guarantee. I haven't cooked in any other way than with this machine for the past 4 months, and can absolutely help with any and all questions. I am able to sell them on the site for $199.80, and Ninja has thrown in the travel bag, mini warmer, roasting kit, and baking kit, JUST for you!!

THIS has been updated as of 11/28/12:    The $199.80 price includes the Ninja Cooking System, a silicone trivet, oven mitts (they're pretty cute), an Inspiration Guide, a full color cookbook, free shipping, a 5-year warranty, a roasting rack, a multi-purpose baking pan, a mini warmer, a silicone cakepop pan, and a travel tote-bag. The travel-tote is different than most because it has a velcro "seat-belt" that loops through the handle to secure it in firmly in place, and then the insulated bag.

Also, if you order through my site, I get a bit of a kick-back. I do not get paid a percentage of any other sales through the infomercial or through stores (but boy, wouldn't that be cool?)

Click here for more product details and to order. Thank You.

And? I have one to giveaway today (this week). I am going to ask you to click over to the giveaway page, though, to enter to win. I'd like to keep this post alive for questions and answers about the Ninja Cooking System. If you'd like to enter to win one of your very own, please go to the giveaway page. Thank you.
updated 9/9/12 9pm pacific, this contest is now over. Thank you to all the entrants!

I haven't seen the full infomercial yet, just bits and pieces. I'm kind of worried that I come across dorky, but I've been assured that everyone seems dorky in an infomercial. If you are flipping through the channels and see me, wave at the screen! I was a complete and total nervous wreck, but had so much fun. We filmed for two days, but I think I probably am only in it for a few minutes. The building we were in was a studio in the outskirts of Boston, and movies like Good Will Hunting (total classic) and Shallow Hal (not so much) were filmed there. There were movie posters lining the hallways, and there were dressing rooms with light-up mirrors -- so cool.

I am going to leave this post "alive" for questions and answers about this new Cooking System. I've been using it A LOT and am happy to be of help. And? I'm seriously thinking we should have Ninjember! (too much...?)


Thank you so much for all of your support and love. I feel like the luckiest person in the world, and I never would have been able to make a "job" out of goofing around with my slow cookers if it wasn't for you. I am incredibly grateful. Thank you.

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