Fall cooking: your crock pot is your friend

To be a hot mama, you need some time for yourself, and that means finding creative TIME SAVING ways to care for your family.
Gearing up for Foodie Fridays, saving time makes me thing about my  CROCK POT. 
Steaming veggie soups, thick stews, pasta dishes, and the list goes on and on.  Crock pots equal HEALTHY FAST meals for your family. Because crock pots cook with low-constant heat from all sides, no oil is needed, so it's a great way to cook tender meats without the fat. It also allows you to throw a couple ingredients in in the morning, and have a hot & tasty meal at night, with NO EFFORT.  Being busy moms we can use all the help we can get, right?  Try bulk cooking in a crock pot, freezing the meal in portions for use during the week. 
Although I should use it year-round (and have friends who do) I usually only use it during the fall/winter.  I make a mean 3 bean chili and a great Ethiopian stew.  I'll post those recipes in the future, I promise.
Today, to gear up for the weekend, I wanted to direct you to Stephanie O'Dea's blog: A year of Crock Pot Cooking.  Stephanie did an experiment, using her crock pot everyday for a year;  and wrote a cookbook about it.  This posting, has a link to healthy recipes including some killer soups and stews.   Remember, because of the slow heat and need for liquid, crock pot cooking is virtually fat free.  Most of the healthy recipes you make for your family now can be made in the crock pot.  When I'm using my trusty 'ol crock, I prep any veggies the night before, then just add the ingredients to the pot in the morning before work and cook on the lowest setting all day long.  When I come home at night, our dinner is READY, with lots of leftovers to spare.
So get creative, pull out the dusty crock pot (because we ALL got them as wedding presents, right?), and make an easy/fast/healthy meal for your family this weekend. 
Some suggestions: chop up leftover chicken/beef/pork, add your favorite root veggies, water and some broth and slow cook a delicious soup.  Or, throw some canned beans in with canned tomatoes, onion, beef/chicken/pork/tofu, spices and make a mean chili.  I even know a mom who makes "baked" pasta dishes (put the pasta in dry) and Mexican fare.
On Monday, I want to hear all about your delicious crock pot masterpiece!