I make chili alot with my slow cooker, usually can of beans,broth,Rotella tomatos,petite diced tomatos,broth,zuccini,carrots,red or orange bell pepper,cheese,and sometimes wheat berries or lentils, add oregano and basil.cook on low 4-5 hrs. Also like to add salsa in place of one can of tomatos. I use kidney beans. They cook better since they are bigger