Unconditional Slow Cooker Love

One of the many reasons I love my dog is because she is so quick to forgive. No matter how unreasonably I behave, she is always ready and willing to forgive and forget. Sure, she looks at me sadly when I leave her alone, but no matter how long I am gone, she's always delighted to see me. She is an unstinting well of love who never turns her back on me.

I'm starting to feel the same way about my slow cooker. The squat black counter-space-hog turns out delicious food time and again, even as I push the limits of easy cooking.

In a recent challenge, I threw the following items into the slow cooker in no particular order, all cut into bite-size pieces:

Stew meat(beef round)
beef bones
celery
carrots
onions
mushrooms
bay leaf
oregano
salt
pepper

Then I covered it all with water.

How much of each? Dunno. About a pound of meat, I think, a couple of bones, 3-4 stalks of celery, 3 carrots, a quart of mushrooms. But it's not like I measured anything. Nor did I prep anything in any way other than wash, peel and chop. I didn't saute onions to bring out their caramel flavors. I didn't brown the beef to add richness. I didn't even add complex spice combinations. I chopped, I dumped, I walked away.

About 5 hours later, I added half a package of barley.

And about 6 hours later, I had a rich, deeply scented, slightly fatty, and absolutely delicious beef barley soup. I felt undeserving. My crockpot forgave all my shortcuts and laziness, and gave me something wonderful.

It's unconditional love.