Disclosure- I received samples of the product(s) mentioned below to facilitate my review but all opinions are 100% my own.

 
Most of the time you have two options if you’re going to use a slow cooker.  You can either dirty a second pot and sear the meat first or you can skip searing the meat and end up with a dish that looks very blah.  I recently received a Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System that totally solves this problem.  It looks similar to a slow cooker, and while it does have a slow cooking feature, it does so much more.  The cooking system also has low, medium, and high stovetop settings as well as several oven functions.  When you’re using the stovetop function you can set it to low if you want to simmer your food, set it to medium to sauté, or set it high to sear your food.  Now you can sear your food with the stovetop setting, add the rest of your ingredients, and then set the dial to slow cooking at a low or high temperature.  I love that I can cook a complete meal without turning on my oven or using my stovetop.  Plus it is so portable that I can take it with me anywhere to cook.  It has a large surface area so I can easily sauté my meal, use it to make stirfried, cook pasta, and so many other dishes using the stovetop setting.

The oven functions on the Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System are so versatile.  You can steam baked by pouring liquid in the cooking pot and then placing the roasting rack into the cooking pot with a baking pan on top.  One cup of water equals about 10 min. of steam. The cooking time with this method will be similar to your recipes but you can add less butter and oil into your cake recipes so you’ll be saving fat and calories.  You can adjust the temperature with the oven function anywhere from 250°F to 425°F.  You can also use the oven settings just like a regular oven to roast and to bake.

The Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System also has a buffet mode to keep food warm from 30 min. to up to 12 hours.  You can use it for food that you already cooked in the slow cooker or for food already prepared that you want to keep warm.  This would be great at a party or potluck. No more worrying about someone knocking over the sterno.  Cleaning the Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System is so easy.  The cooking pot has a nonstick surface so you can simply clean it with warm soapy water or can be washed in the dishwasher.  The roasting lid, multipurpose pan, and roasting rack are not dishwasher safe but they can all be simply cleaned with warm, soapy water as well.  I was really amazed the first time I went to clean my Ninja cooking system and I was able to just wipe it out with a paper towel to get rid of all the leftover food.  Of course I washed it with warm soapy water after wiping it out with a paper towel, but I have to say that looked very clean just  wiping it with a paper towel.  That’s how great the nonstick surface is.

I have made so many things in my Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System since I received it. I’ve used it several times to cook vegetables.  I’ve used the stovetop setting to make stirfry and other sautéed vegetables and I’ve used the oven setting to roast cauliflower with just a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and some herbs.  Last week I roasted tomatoes to make a homemade tomato sauce and I have used it to make beef stew with the slow cooking setting.   I am surprising my girls on Friday by making a cake with them using my Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System.  I can’t wait to see how moist it comes out using the steam baking function.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

I’m sure I’ll be sharing many recipes using my Ninja but for now I am going to share with you my favorite meal that I have made so far:
Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken-

1 whole chicken (remove gizzards, rinse, and pat dry)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 cloves of garlic- peeled
Garlic and Herb Blend Ground Seasoning
4 cups Tuscany Flavor Chicken Broth

Preheat the Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System on the STOVETOP HIGH setting for about 2 minutes.  Meanwhile spread olive oil on the inside and outside of the whole chicken.  Generously sprinkle garlic and herb seasoning blend all over the chicken.  Sear all sides of the chicken until golden (about 5 minutes per side).  Once all sides are seared, remove chicken from unit.  Put garlic cloves and chicken broth into the pot.  Insert roasting rack into the unit and place chicken on roasting rack.  Cover and cook on the OVEN setting at 350 degrees until juices run clear.  The garlic should be soft enough to mash up into the broth to create a wonderfully flavorful gravy.  Enjoy!