We take slow cooking very seriously. For proof of that (as if you needed it), here are the hundreds of recipes that we’ve lovingly developed, tested, and retested for use in your favorite small appliance.

Another thing we take very seriously: cookbooks. (Believe me when I say that fall cookbook season is a bonafide holiday around here.) For us, there’s nothing better than a cookbook that delights and inspires us to break out of a self-imposed dinnertime rut.

So without further ado, we decided to combine our two great loves and bring you a list of our favorite slow cooker cookbooks. Drumroll, please.

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When I woke up this morning, an idea for a perfect on-the-go sandwich came to me in a flash. So, I took to Twitter and shared what I thought could be the Next Big Thing in breakfast: two freshly baked cookies (chocolate chip) hugging a nice, thick, breakfast-y layer of butter, completed with a slice or two of bacon.

( … What?)

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In Explain It Like I’m 6, a dietitian answers the burning health questions from Associate Food Editor Meghan Splawn‘s daughter, Ella.

In this mini series we’ve already answered most of Ella’s very thoughtful health questions. She asked her mom, Meghan, about protein, why she can’t eat ice cream every day, and why she should eat apples. Today we’re taking a step back and talking about why she should be eating fruits and veggies — period. Here’s Sally Kuzemchak of Real Mom Nutrition with the answer.

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There is one dish that appears pretty consistently on my weekly meal plan, and that is soup. Almost every week, there is a night designated for it — usually at the start of the week so that there are leftovers to dig into for lunch. There are so many reasons why it’s such a mainstay: It’s a one-pot affair, it often doesn’t need much else besides some crusty bread to call it dinner, and it’s infinitely adaptable depending on your mood.

Some weeks, it’s a soup loaded with enough veggies to get me back into a wholesome routine; other weeks it’s a heartier, cream-based or pasta-packed option. Whatever the situation, these 17 recipes are easy picks for your weeknight dinner roster.

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The iconic KitchenAid mixer might be one of the most coveted pieces of cooking equipment and right now Sam’s Club has them at a steep discount. The mixer, which normally retails around $320, is going for $249.98 through tomorrow. You guys that’s a $70 discount! Get it while you still can!

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As a vegetarian, I eat beans — and lots of them. At least once a week, and usually far more often, I’ll find myself at the sink rinsing off canned kidney beans in a colander to rid them of the liquid glop from the can, or standing over a pot of dried chickpeas, giving it an occasional stir. In both instances, foam appears, and I’m vigilant about eradicating it — rinsing cooked beans until the water runs clear and skimming off the cloud of foam that appears on top of the pot of dried beans. After years — decades even — of these bean-prep habits, it occurs to me that maybe my foam eradication quest is not entirely necessary.

To find out, I reached out to nutritionists to find out what causes bean foam — and if it’s safe to eat.

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Pumpkin custard magic cake is a new take on a Thanksgiving dessert that’s chock-full of familiar flavors. Like vanilla magic cake, this is a unique treat with three layers of custardy dessert, all from a single batter. It’s thick at the bottom, rich and custardy in the middle, and fluffy like a super-moist sponge cake on top, making it guaranteed to satisfy the pumpkin pie, pumpkin custard, and pumpkin cake lovers in your crowd.

Perhaps best of all for the cook, pumpkin custard magic cake has to be made in advance and refrigerated, leaving plenty of oven space.

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Next week Target will roll out their newest house brand, Smartly, featuring 70 home essentials and toiletries, most for just $1 or $2. That includes plenty of kitchen products such as paper towels, dish soap, plastic sandwich bags, napkins, and paper lunch bags.

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Do you ever return home after a very long, very exhausting, very emotionally draining day and immediately trudge to the stove, boil a large pot of salted water, and make a bowl of pasta?

No, I’m the only one? Okay, you can stop reading now — goodbye!

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This recipe, created with my friend — the mother of a Syrian refugee family we hosted — takes a classic Thanksgiving stuffing and adds a Syrian twist. Commonly used celery is replaced by roasted chestnuts, and golden raisins are mixed with cranberries — but the tender pillow of soft bread remains. The result is a deliciously smoky-yet-sweet stuffing any turkey would love to be next to.

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