What's for dinner: Crockpot Corn Chowder

I've discovered I don't have to recreate each recipe in the Joy of Cooking every night; I just need to have a few "old reliables" on standby each week. And just two, maybe three, is enough for our small family.

This is a favorite whose leftovers don't last very long. Especially if you have someone in the house who STILL needs to eat soft foods. Sigh.

Crockpot Corn Chowder
3/4 C chopped onion (I use a small onion or half of a large one)
2T butter or (ugh) margarine
1 C frozen hash brown potatoes (I use enough to cover the bottom of my crockpot)
1 C cooked, diced ham (can omit if you're a vegetarian)
1 10-oz pkg frozen corn
1 C (or small can) cream-style corn
1 10 3/4-oz cream of mushroom soup, undiluted (cream of potato or cream of celery works too)
2 1/2 C milk

Layer in this order: potatoes, onion, butter, ham, frozen corn, creamed corn, soup, and milk. Cook on High 4-5 hours (if you can stand the smell to wait that long...mmm...nothing like it on a cold autumn or winter day). Salt and pepper to taste. Also calls for parsley flakes, if desired.

I've added the fringe to my scarf and worn it twice. It looks a bit silly under light fall jackets because I have to wind it around my neck so many times, and I'm getting a stiff neck from having to hold my head justso, but it sure is warm and pretty. I'm not quite up to Kate's description of the French women's standard: "Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort" (I’m beautiful and I don’t even try), but I feel pretty damn proud that I finished something and I'm WEARING it.