The slow cooker is my best friend in the kitchen. Cooking everything from scratch takes time. No one wants to rush in late in the evening and have no food – it’s a recipe for disaster. If you have a removable ceramic liner, you can even throw everything in the slow cooker the night before and stash the liner in the fridge. The next morning, pop it in the slow cooker and set it to low.

Spy and Q gobbled this up. Not one complaint.

Easy Slow-Cooker Chile

1 lb ground beef

1 box (26oz) tomatoes (or 1 can 28oz)

1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced green chile peppers

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp chile powder (this gives it a kick, adjust to taste)

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pepper

Set your slow cooker on low. Throw everything in the pot. Stir. Let cook for 10-12 hours.

Or set it on high. Throw everything in the pot. Stir. Let cook for 5-6 hours.