Total time: 7 hr 15 min • Prep: 15 min • Cook: 7 hr • Serves: 8 • Difficulty: Easy

Slow cooking at its best and most simple, this is a go-to recipe for fall’s chilly nights. Combine the ingredients in a quick 15 minutes before leaving for your day. The slow cooker takes over and cooks the combination of sausage, vegetables and hominy slow and low into a deeply flavored stew ready for a crowd when you get home. Hominy, a product of corn being treated with alkali, is the star of this dish. Whether white or yellow, hominy has a rich corn flavor and adds wonderful flavor and texture. Add a kick of heat by choosing hot green chiles or keep it mild. Combine some cool shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, cilantro, and lime juice for a quick fresh and crunchy side salad.