Kielbasa and corn

There are so many reasons I love the slow cooker! The dish I fixed Thursday embodies nearly all of them. It used items I already had on hand -- kielbasa, corn, potatoes and tomatoes. It was budget-friendly. And it was so easy and delicious.

Here's how did it. First, dice and brown half a package of kielbasa in a tablespoon of oil.

I added a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and garlic powder to the pan as the kielbasa cooked.

I diced three potatoes and added a 12-ounce can of corn and a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes.

I added a teaspoon of dried oregano and a teaspoon of black pepper. Then I cooked it on low for about 8 hours. I also had about a half cup of leftover green beans; I stirred them in before serving.

We love rice with almost any soup, especially a heartier one made with kielbasa. I place about a half cup cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl...

And ladle in the soup on top. It was a hit! The recipe makes about 8 servings and freezes well.

Kielbasa and corn soup

1/2 pound kielbasa, diced and browned in a skillet
3-4 medium potatoes, diced
12-ounce can of corn, drained
14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
Sprinkle cayenne pepper to taste
Garlic powder, to taste

Brown kielbasa in a skillet over medium heat. Add to a 6 quart slow cooker. Add all other ingredients, plus three cans of water from the diced tomatoes. Stir well. I also added a half-cup of cooked green beans I had on hand, at the end of cooking. Easy and delicious. Serves 8.