I am a Hamilton Beach Ambassador. This product was provided for review purposes, but the opinions represented here are my own.
Today I get to share with you something that has been a staple in my kitchen for the last month. It has allowed me to cook inexpensive, delicious meals for my family and has made my life as a new mommy of two SO much easier. We are talking about the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Slow Cooker. I’ve owned slow cookers before, but let me just tell you that I didn’t even know they made them this fancy. I’m basically going to show you the Rolls Royce of Slow Cookers…
Easy, automatic cooking has never been so simple. The Set & Forget Programmable Slow Cooker has three choices for easy, automatic cooking: program, probe and manual mode. Features power interrupt protection. On/off easy push-button controls. 6-qt. capacity. Includes:
- a thermometer probe for meat
- clip-on spoon
- clip-tight gasket lid
- full-grip handle
- removable stoneware crock
I’m not sure how long they’ve been making slow cookers this fancy, but perhaps I’ve been living in the dark ages. There are so many reasons to love all of these fantastic features. I have loved the push button controls and how it automatically starts warming the meal rather than continuing to cook the meal as soon as your time is up. I also love that the lid clamps down. If I am bringing a slow cooked meal as a holiday dish to someone’s house, this could sit in the front seat of my car and I wouldn’t have to fear that the lid would pop off. Also, if my two year old ever gets on her stool in the kitchen when I’m not watching, I don’t have to fear that she’s going to pull the lid off of dinner- the lid is definitely clamped down well!
So what’s my favorite slow cooker meal? Chili of course! What’s not to love about chili? I can feed my family several meals from one pot of chili, and it can be done for under $10. It’s the perfect fall meal, it’s hearty, healthy, and everyone loves it. It can be adapted based upon my mood- spicy, mild, full of veggies, etc.
This recipe is so easy I hesitate to even call it a recipe. It’s basically just throwing things together, which is pretty much my favorite way to cook. Mike and I always talk about how our cooking styles vary. Mike likes to work hard in the kitchen and wow people with his skills. I don’t like to cook- I assemble. I’m the scavenger in the household and cook like a college student. I take a bunch of leftover odds and ends and throw them with pasta or something.
The first step here is to take a pound of ground beef or ground turkey, and brown it.
The next step is super easy. I take two cans of iced tomatoes (you can use plain, or the ones with green pepper, celery, and onions added in), a drained can of dark kidney beans, and lots of spices! I like cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper added to my chili. Just like when I make soup, I don’t really measure it, I just keep adding and stirring until it’s to my standards. Some days I like it with a bit more kick, some days I keep it tame. I start with a tablespoon of cumin and chili powder, and a teaspoon of cayenne and stir it in and taste it, working up from there. If you’re feeling extra daring, add some Sriracha. You can also buy premixed chili spices if you’re not feeling very creative. I actually really love mixing and matching spices!
The beauty of this slow cooker is being able to set the timer. For chili, I usually do 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low heat. The longer it simmers, the more time the spices have to marinate and be delicious.
I generally top my chili with a dallop of sour cream and some shredded cheese when it’s finished!
I also really like to put chili over top of egg noodles or another type of pasta. It adds a little more texture and makes it a bit more filling. Maybe that’s a Wisconsin thing?
I would LOVE the opportunity to let a reader try and win one of these bad boys! This is the perfect addition to your kitchen just in time for winter, or it would make a wonderful gift for someone else. In order to enter the giveaway, you must be 18 or older and reside in the U.S. Hamilton Beach is unable to ship to PO Boxes.
Good luck!
Pot roast and veggies
This would be great to make hot chocolate (and food!) in the winter! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would like to make vegetarian chili in a slow cooker. I would also like to learn some more vegetarian slow cooker recipes.
It would be hard to pick a favorite. I love ribs, chili, vegetable soup, beans, etc. all in a slow cooker. This cooker really does look like a nice one. I love its size. I do a lot of cooking for a crowd and it looks perfect.
Peg~
I totally just did a recipe and giveaway for this same slow cooker. It is really awesome.
I like to cook Butternut Squash Soup in a slow cooker.
I love doing a chuck roast til it shreds easily. Great for tacos and BBQ beef sandwiches.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Awesome recipe, awesome giveaway!
My favorite meal to make in my slow cooker is chili beans. I actually made some last night!
this is totally my kind of recipe 😉
Awesome giveaway – I love, love, love slow cookers!
I have the junkyard salvage version of the slow cooker. I actually have a light timer I have to use for mine to start and stop it! I love making steel cut oatmeal in my slow cooker. It’s definitely chili weather, and that one looks yummy.
great giveaway!
What a great way to cook warm winter meals.
Great giveaway – My crockpot is my BFF! I could definitely use an upgrade!
I’d like to try making chili!
I have heard and read so many great things about slow cookers, but here where I live they aren´t popular, yet.
a good hearty chili
What a coincidence, I’m making chili today!
this looks YUM! I’m so lazy with cooking so my slow cooker is my best friend!
I am absolutely obsessed with my slow cooker!
Love this! It’s now crock pot season.
Love this! I think one of my fave slow cooker recipes is pork chops — way easier than cooking them any of the conventional ways!
What a fun way to create a recipe ! I would love to win as I have never tried this before.!!
One of my favorite things to cook in the slow cooker is a pot roast with carrots and potatoes. Makes the meat so tender, plus, great sandwiches the next day 🙂
Awesome!!!! I love slow cookers- especially for lazy baked potatoes!
My fave is chicken with ranch dressing and salsa. My kids love it.
I’d never used a slow cooker before, so I don’t have a favorite but something cheesy sounds like a great first choice!
crockpot lasagna is my favorite thing to make in a slow cooker!
My favorite recipe is making taco soup!
Oh I forgot to add- my dream is for perfect crockpot mac n cheese!
I don’t have any favorite slow cooker meals yet but I’ve heard it’s so easy to do, I need to get one!