Travelers can almost count on bumping into a friend or business associate these days when visiting popular vacation destinations.

Seafood generally isn’t slow-cooker friendly. When cooked for long periods, most white fish will dissolve into mush, while shellfish such as shrimp will get tough and rubbery. This recipe solves that problem by adding cod only at the end.

If you’ve been slow to warm up to slow cookers, it probably wasn’t the incredible convenience that turned you off.

This easy slow cooker-friendly beef and barley soup take just 15 minutes prep, then can be ignored for as long as 11 hours — a perfect meal for starting on a frosty morning and welcoming you home in the evening.

You know I’m not the kind of person who would taunt you by pointing out how much more fabulous and glamorous my life is than yours. I’m much too kind and thoughtful to do anything like that. Far be it from me to stoop so low. I’d never, ever try to incite envy on your part.