Mamma Can't Live Without...

My slow cooker.

See how some of the word "crockpot" has worn off? That's how well loved my slow cooker is.

I write this quickly in a small window I have for a bit of a break. Veronica is currently eating a snack in her high chair and the boys are playing outside in the odd light that is coming down from the weird sky that looks strangely blue. (What is that stuff again? Sunlight or something?) Using small windows of time efficiently has become like riding a bike. And this definitely also pertains to making meals.

We will be leaving soon to go to the Y so that I can get a workout in and the kiddos can play.

When we come home, the house will smell gloriously of roast chicken, carrots, potatoes and onions. Yes, we will come home at dinner time and dinner will already be made. And the boys have already set the table.

This is why I cannot live without my slow cooker. We received it as a wedding present 8 1/2 years ago and it still works great. During the first year of our marriage, I used it a lot because I was in school and at work all day. Now, with my days full for other reasons, my slow cooker is once again a dear friend who visits our kitchen at least once a week.

To have the flexibility to prepare dinner whenever I have a window during the day, and not just in the early evening, is a must in our household. I can't always attend to cooking meals around 5:00 and on those days, my slow cooker simmers all day so that we can still sit down to a healthy, delicious family dinner.

I also use it for breakfasts. I have a wonderful Weight Watchers steel cut oats recipe that I can make before bed so that we wake up to a delicious, healthy breakfast. This is wonderful for Sunday mornings before we go to Church.

Do you have a slow cooker? What's your favorite slow cooker recipe?