>Look in the vegetable drawer. Dice up one cup of everything available. Add a can of dark red kidney beans. Add a handful of Green Bay Packer beans if ripe at the right moment. Dice the leftover pork (from the rotisserie last night). Add water and broth crystals. Flavor with herbs if available. Turn crockpot on low for a few hours; then add barley and turn to high. Serve when ready.
On the side: make a loaf of bread in the bread machine.

Sure, you may laugh. So do I. But the truth is, my soup “formula” gives us lots of nutritious meals and makes the house smells wonderful. While it simmers, I can finish the laundry for my family and correct papers for my class.

Of course, I couldn’t do it without my appliances, including the crockpot, bread machine, and mini-rotisserie oven. Oh, yeah, and the washer and dryer. And the coffeemaker. Have I missed any?