The leaves are changing, football is footballing and your girlfriend will not stop asking you to go to the pumpkin patch with her. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, I guess. As the weather cools down, the need for hearty meals rises, but who has time to spend three hours on braising lamb chops and figuring out how to cook risotto? There’s nothing that warms the soul quite like a solid crockpot meal. It’s the most versatile of cooking appliances and a two-year old can use it. Prepare yourself for those brisk autumn nights with these seven recipes.

Mexican Sweet Chili

1 can, sweet corn
1 can, black beans (unseasoned)
1 can, Rotel tomatoes
1 can, diced tomatoes
1 pound, ground chuck
3/4 cup, brown sugar
1 packet, chili seasoning
1 raw jalapeño, sliced
2 cloves, garlic, chopped
2 tbsp, salt
1 tbsp, pepper

Brown the beef, drain the fat, but leave a little extra grease. Just a little bit, probably a tablespoon’s worth. Mix in the chili seasoning, garlic and jalapeños and cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes in the frying pan, stirring occasionally. Empty beef, garlic and jalapeño mixture into crock pot, set on low heat. Mix in sweet corn, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Let it stew for three hours or overnight. Your call. The longer it cooks, the better it is. Once ready to eat, set crock pot on “keep warm” for an hour, then eat all of the chili. Best garnished with sour cream, colby jack and/or guacamole.

DC Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle, BBQ sauce
1 can, Diet Coke

Combine ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high for six hours. Shred the chicken. Eat it with your bare hands. Thank me later.

Classic Pot Roast

Three pounds, boneless chuck roast
1 packet, onion soup mix
4 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1/2 a package of baby carrots

Brown the roast on a stovetop. Combine 1.5 cups of water and onion soup mix in crock pot. Place veggies on the bottom of the pot. Place roast on top of veggie bed. Slow cook on low for six plus hours. Optional flavortown upgrade: Combine one cup of sour cream with one tablespoon of horseradish sauce, serve on the side.

Sexy Pulled Chicken

4 skinless chicken thighs
One onion, sliced
Season mix: Equal parts brown sugar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, mustard powder, garlic powder, cumin.

Put onions on the bottom of the pot. Place chicken thighs on top of the onions. Top with season mix. Let stew for 4-6 hours.

Forrest Gump “Million Dollar Wound” Pork Butt

Three pounds, bone-in pork butt
1/2 cup, brown sugar
1 can, Dr. Pepper
2 tbsp, salt and pepper
1/4 cup, apple cider vinegar

Rub that butt with the brown sugar, salt and pepper mix. Rub it good. Place it in the crock pot. Pour the Dr. Pepper and apple cider vinegar into the pot. Let it stew for at least five hours. Serve whenever.

Joe’s Backdoor Buffalo Chicken

6 chicken thighs
1 bottle, buffalo sauce
1 packet, powdered ranch dressing

Passed down from generations of North Floridians, this one is worth the wait. Toss it all into the crockpot, cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken, top it with some pepper jack cheese and toss it all on a hamburger bun.

Hobo Queso

Leftover taco meat
1 block of Velveeta cheese
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
One bag of off-brand Tostitos tortilla chips

Throw it all into the pot. Set pot to high. Stir occasionally. Wait an hour. Eat the entire thing over the span of a weekend..