Until recently, we didn’t know what we were missing from our Rival Crock-Pot 5-quart slow cooker. Then we were given the Hamilton Beach Ensemble Stay Or Go five-quart slow cooker.

To say that we appreciate our Hamilton Beach slow cooker—a device originally known as a crock pot—is putting it mildly. We simply love everything about it.

We love that we can prepare an entire meal simply by tossing a bunch of ingredients inside it (which can be done the night before). Then we turn it on and forgetting about it, until it’s time for dinner. We come home from work (or errands, or other obligations), our stomachs growling, to something hot and delicious.

Read the full review to see all the features and discover how much easier it is to cart food somewhere else—even across town on public transportation.

Don’t worry about any spillage when the lid is
on the Stay Or Go Slow Cooker. Photo courtesy Hamilton Beach.

[1] It’s easy to color coconut to make desserts more fun (photo © McCormick).

[2] Shredded coconut from Gourmet Food World (photo © Gourmet Food World).

It’s easy to tint coconut for Easter cakes/cupcakes or any other holiday, using food coloring.
 
 
HOW TO COLOR SHREDDED COCONUT
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the shredded or flaked coconut in a large resealable plastic bag.

2. SQUEEZE the food color into the coconut: 5 to 6 drops per 1 cup of coconut.

3. SHAKE until the color is evenly distributed.

4. DRY and store if not using immediately. Spread the coconut in a shallow pan to dry, and store the coconut in an airtight container.
 
Find more cake and cupcake ideas by pulling down the food menu in the column at right.
 
 
MORE USES FOR SHREDDED COCONUT

You can use the tinted coconut in other dishes as well, like ice cream, pudding and yogurt.

One if our favorite uses is in a spring or Easter salad.

That’s what Nora Schultz thought when she created Naturally Nora Baking Mixes—and frosting mixes, of course! The packaging is environmentally friendly as well.

The mixes are free of artificial ingredients, colors and preservatives. Instead, the company seeks out natural ingredient suppliers to create dessert mixes that you can use to easily whip up a frosted cake, cupcakes or brownies.

All of the products are kosher and most do not contain dairy or soy (the only exception is the Doubly Fudgy Brownies mix), although they are produced in a facility that also uses milk, soy, tree nuts and peanuts.

You can use the mixes to make the basic cake or brownie recipe on the box, or incorporate them into other desserts, including the Wholly Coconut Cupakes Recipe from Naturally Nora herself.

Wholly Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Use Naturally Nora to make all-natural
desserts. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE

Ingredients For The Frosting
– 1 box Naturally Nora Extraordinary Vanilla Frosting Mix
– 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
– 3 tablespoons well-stirred canned, unsweetened coconut milk (not “lite”)
– 3 1/2 cups sweetened flake coconut

Preparation
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Mix cake mix, 1 cup coconut milk, oil and eggs for 1-2 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

4. Beat frosting mix, melted butter and 3 tablespoons coconut milk with an electric mixer on medium speed 1-2 minutes until fluffy.

5. Frost cupcakes generously with frosting. Press coconut on top of cupcakes.

Makes 18-24 cupcakes.

• For more information about Naturally Nora, visit NaturallyNora.com 

These chocolate bunnies are just two of the
delicious prizes in this week’s Gourmet
Giveaway. Photo courtesy Martine’s
Chocolates.

And Martine’s is offering a freebie for all NIBBLE readers:

• Through the end of April, you’ll receive a free 2-piece box of marzipan eggs with your first purchase over $25 (excluding shipping), or a free 2-piece box of marzipan eggs plus 2 chocolate truffles with your first purchase over $45.
• To get your free chocolates, mention that you are a NIBBLE reader over the phone or in the comments area if you are ordering online.
• To learn more about Martine’s Chocolates, check out our review and visit MartinesChocolates.com. 

Need some brownies or a frosted cake in a hurry? Naturally Nora provides boxed cake and frosting mixes made with all-natural ingredients and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

One lucky NIBBLE reader will be able to make three easy frosted cakes and two pans of brownies, with a prize that includes:

• Alot’a Dots Cake Mix and Alot’a Dots Frosting Mix
• Cheerful Chocolate Cake Mix and Cheerful Chocolate Frosting Mix
• Sunny Yellow Cake Mix and Extraordinary Vanilla Frosting Mix
• Two brownie mixes: Fantastic Fudgy Brownies and Doubly Fudgy Brownies

Learn more about Naturally Nora at NaturallyNora.com

• To Enter These Gourmet Giveaways: Go to the box at the bottom of our Gourmet Chocolate Section and enter your email address for the prize drawing. This contest closes on Monday, April 5th at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!

We’re going New School with this Bunny Collection edition of the always-welcome Edible Chocolate Box from Charles Chocolates. The chocolate box is filled with Fleur de Sel caramels. How tasty is that?

The lid is of the box (white chocolate) is adorned with a cool Easter bunny and Bunny Jr. Inside the box (made of dark chocolate) are chocolate-covered caramels featuring the bunnies and their neighbors, the Easter chicks.

After you eat the caramels, you eat the box; so you’re guaranteed to get your solid chocolate fix.

The 17 ounces of chocolate make a spectacular gift. But spectacles don’t come cheap: This one is $60.00; 20 pieces of bunny and chick caramels in a blue gift box are $34.00.

Buy it online at CharlesChocolates.com.

• Read our review of Charles Chocolates.
• Find more of our favorite Easter candy.

Please hop down our bunny trail!
Photo courtesy CharlesChocolates.com.