It's 39 degrees in my little Massachusetts town: a beautiful crisp, sunny October morning. The trees are glowing in shades of flame and gold, and mist is rising off the river like wraiths. There is no place like New England in the fall. And nothing says 'cozy' like coming in at the end of the day to a warm home smelling of baking bread and hot soup. Thus, while my family is away at work and school, I'm prepping dinner in the slow cooker: Crockpot Barley Vegetable Soup Ingredients 1 cup medium pearl barley 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. fennel seed 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups frozen corn 2 cups frozen green beans 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 3 (14 oz). cans vegetable broth 4 cups water 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained 2 cups baby spinach Preparation 1. Place all ingredients except the can of d...