Keeping The Crock Pots Busy

I would like to tell you I have the time to stand in the kitchen all day long and provide gourmet 5 course meals to my Fab 4.  The truth is there are still days where I like to pick up a couple of pizzas and call it a night.  My hearts in the right place and I'd love to provide the children with fresh, organic, homegrown, etc. everything.  This is simply just not possible when managing a house of 6 people.  I utilize my crock pot probably 5 out of 7 nights a week when possible.  It's simple and easy.  It's hands free (only requiring the occasional stirring).  So, I'd like to share some of my recipes here with you and if you have a recipe you'd like me to share with everyone please feel free to send it to me.  Understand most of my recipes are my own concoctions and lots of times I simply use what's in the pantry.  I have a pretty large pantry and I guess I really should share a picture of it as well.  Yesterday I cooked a ham in one crock pot and mac and cheese in the other one.  Here's what we are having tonight (and yes I purely just threw all of this together).

Chicken Chili (I guess that's what we should call it)

A little over 1lb. of chicken
1 packet of dry ranch mix
1 can of corn
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of kidney beans ( you could use whatever you have or whatever beans your family likes)
1 can of tomatoes
1/2 pack chili seasoning
1 tbs. of chili powder
1 block of cream cheese
Milk (to your likening depends on how thick or thin you want your chili)

Throw all of this on the crock pot and cook on low or you can do what I did and speed up the process in the beginning by turning the crock pot on high for a little bit (I typically do this on a regular basis.  It warms up whatever I'm cooking and gets things going a little quicker.  I don't leave it on high very long though unless I am really in a hurry).   

We are serving the chili with a little bit of cheese on top and some AWESOME stone ground tortilla chips from Trader Joes (2lb bag of chips which are by far the best tortilla chips I've ever eaten for only 2.99). 

Personally, cooking in the crock pot is helping simplify my life.  It takes away all the extra time I would be spending in the kitchen cooking and gives me more time to focus on being a mom, school work (MBA stuff), accomplishing my goal of having a more organized life, etc!  Good stuff, I know!