Fall is upon us.  Once those cold nights start chilling the ride home, our homes, and bones, a hearty meal is required.  A Slow Cooker such as The Breville Fast Slow Cooker is an effortless, economical, and ultimately quick way to have dinner prepared before the family or group arrives.  Whether you’re a healthy minded family or person, or someone who wants to wow a Sunday game day with an insatiable, calorie-riddled pot of meat, cheese, noodles, and who knows what, a Slow Cooker makes it easy to prep, cook, and bring to your crew. Slow cookers are convenient and affordable ways to meal prep - check out  The KitchenAid 6 Quart Slow Cooker with Solid Glass Lid .  Whether you are a vegetarian or a meat lover, chili with or without meat is always delightful in October!  Here is one of our fave vegetarian recipes we've crafted over the years. SLOW COOKER VEGETARIAN CHILI INGREDIENTS

• 1 can pinto beans (drained)
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans black beans (drained)
• 2 cans “Rotel” style tomatoes (Southwestern with chili’s, corn, etc. of choice)
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 large white onion diced
• 5 red potatoes (quartered)
• 1 can pickled jalapenos (drained and halved)
• 1 teaspoon achiote (annatto)
• 1 tablespoon cumin & chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper

Add your entire ingredients load to the pot, set on low for 8 hours, and leave!  This meal has nothing to really cook other than the potatoes.  Healthy, easy, and inexpensive.  Add cilantro and onions as a topper.  Optional for the non-veggie is sour cream and cheese. Enjoy! October is the NHL start!  Down South, NFL, MLB, and NBA are all in full action.  Time for friends and family to swing by root on your beloved team.  Or, have some fun smack-talking those guests that disagree on your favorite squad.  That’s why food in The All-Clad D7 8 Quart  Slow Cooker allows time for repartee whether to celebrate the goal, run, basket, or… debate that penalty! A great game-time fall classic slow cooker meal for all, are meatballs.  Place toothpicks near the slow cooker for easy consuming.  Toasting dinner rolls and placing under some foil and a towel to stay warm, along with some sliced provolone turn meatballs into a real sandwich asap!  Easy, and only a few ingredients, make meatballs a unique adult-styled Sunday lunch. Game Day Meatballs  INGREDIENTS

• 2 bags frozen meatballs (Typically 1 lb. & 1/2 oz balls (approx. 52)
• 1/3 cup whisky (Top shelf not needed here…)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• ½ brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon each lemon juice, Worcestershire, and vinegar based hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder and cracked black pepper

Optional:

• Toasted rolls
• cheese of your choice
• sliced onions

Again, slow cookers make life so easy!  The night before game day, combine your sauce ingredients together prior to adding to the slow cooker.  Then add meatballs and combined sauce to your slow cooker; cook on low, when you wake up around 8 am turn on high heat, and by the start of the big game at noon, the meatballs merely need to be stirred and served.  Tooth picks, paper plates, napkins, and maybe some rolls, cheese and onions enable everyone to enjoy a hearty appetizer or sandwich while watching the competition.  Dig in and challenge your friends for some inspiring game day vittles. Another hearty recipe for slow cookers is my fave, cheesy potatoes.  You can never go wrong when served on a cold night for dinner, game day, or during a Holiday.  Red potatoes are easy due to no peeling required.  Using a high quality extra sharp cheddar truly enhances the pot of goodness.  And, of course, some crispy, thick-cut bacon! CHEESEY SLOW-COOKED POTATOES INGREDIENTS

• 1-3 lb bag of red potatoes
• ½ lb. extra sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ a pack of thick-cut bacon
• 1 bunch of green onions
• 1 large clove of garlic (pressed)
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and paprika

Optional:

• Sour cream

The most challenging part of this dish is cooking the bacon.  Using a Chloe’s Kitchen Professional 11” x 17” Cookie Sheet , place foil down, then the raw bacon.  Place in the oven and set for 400.  In about 20 minutes, the bacon should be done, or close to it.  Induce the bacon to a crispy texture for crumbling.  Once completed, drain on a paper plate with a paper towel on top. Clean the good potatoes.  Toss any bad ones.  It happens…Halve or quarter the red potatoes depending on their size to uniform proportions.  Shred the cheese.  Dice the onions including the whites.  Crumble the bacon (hands work best even though a bit greasy).  Using all in the slow cooker the exception is reserving 3 tablespoons of bacon bits and cheese with 2 tablespoons of onions as the final topper. Now, we add by layering.  Try and achieve three layers with the potatoes as the 1^st component.  Secondarily, the cheese with garlic, bacon, onions, and a sprinkling of spices.  Then repeat twice.  Turn on your slow cooker to high.  Set it and forget it for five to seven hours depending on the dimensions of the potato pieces.  Fork a few to check their done-ness.  At the ½ hour until completion point, add the reserved bacon, onion, and cheese.  Drizzle sour cream on for those who like it.  Serve with butter on the side.  Yum! Concluding the meal or event always necessitates dessert!  And of course, the slow cooker discerns itself in producing some gooey, chocolaty, messy delights.  Once more, effort and ingredients are at a minimal to provide the group a memorable dessert they won’t forget. BROWNIE LAVA UN-DONE CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 1 box of your favorite brownie mix (18 oz / 9 x 13)
• Water, oil, milk, and/ or eggs may be needed. Read box for instructions.
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 1 pack instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
• 2 cups milk
• A dash of vanilla extract
• A slow cooker lining bag

Optional:

• Vanilla ice cream

Place a tablespoon of water in the slow cooker.  Add the slow cooker liner.  This will aid in not burning the sides of our dessert. Formulate your favorite brownie mix according to directions.  Pour all into the slow cooker.  Whip the milk and pudding until velvety.  Slowly and gently pour on top of the brownie batter.  Cover the slow cooker with paper towels, then close the lid.  This will catch condensation from hitting our decadent dessert.  Cook on high 1 ½ to 3 hours depending on your elevation.  Gently peel the paper towel off the cake with a spatula at 1 ½ hours to check doneness.  This piece should be tight and brownie-like.  If so, your dessert is complete.  Just scoop and add ice cream! Slow cookers have rendered all meals enjoyable, informal, less time consuming, and very affordable.  Appetizers to entrees to anything in between can be placed in a slow cooker and emerge spectacular.  The recipes are endless in cookbooks (hold your cookbook with The Fox Run Acrylic Cook Book Holder)  and on-line.  For sixty eight years the slow cooker has brought ease to all our kitchens.  Buy and try one if you haven’t yet! See our full selection of brand-name, slow cookers at the best available price online here>>