Pottage

Yes, you read correctly... pottage.  Not a word that I would have thought would be typed in this little corner of the web, that's for sure!

Our kiddos' junior church teacher asked if I'd make a recipe for pottage to go along with their Bible story in which Jacob gave Esau a bowl of lentil stew (pottage) in exchange for his birthright.  I had my doubts that the kids would eat it.  Well I was surprised when I saw an empty crock pot!  They didn't like it...they loved it!  They also informed me that it was good, but not worth selling their birthrights for it!  *smile*

Pottage

1 pound bag of lentils
water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons chicken broth powder (I buy it at our local bulk Amish store)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

 Rinse the lentils to remove dirt and/or stones.  Put lentils in a crock pot and cover with 2 inches of water.  Add remaining ingredients, stir a bit, cover and cook for 8 hours.  The recipe I read said to cook it on high for 8 hours, but I cooked it on low for 8 hours and it was fine.  (The crock pot I used cooks fairly high.) 

Unbelievable Granola!

Yep!  Unbelievable granola!  Unbelievable because my hubby (who doesn't like granola at all) even likes it!  Win!!! 

This recipe is adapted from my dear friend's blog The Culinary Enthusiast.

Homemade Granola

2/3 cup pecans, chopped coarse

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats*

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons whole flax meal

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup each raisins and golden raisins (or dried cranberries, cherries, whatever!)

*Note - Do not substitute quick-cooking or instant rolled oats in this recipe, or the granola will taste sandy rather than crunchy.

Directions:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Toast the pecans in a 12‑inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 3 minutes. Stir in the oats and oil and continue to toast until the oats begin to turn golden, about 2 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the honey, whole flax meal, cinnamon, and salt until well coated. Spread the granola evenly over a large rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the raisins (or whatever). With a spatula, push the granola onto one half of the baking sheet and press gently into a 1/2‑inch-thick slab. Let the granola cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Loosen the dried granola with a spatula, break into small clusters, and serve.  The granola can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  But you won't need to worry about it being stored at all!  We gobble it up in one sitting!  It is super yummy and super addictive!  Even hubby loves it!  The kiddos love it topped on homemade yogurt!

Fall Comfort!

We've got a cold front working its way through the area and the temperatures will be down in the 60's!  I'm so excited!  I was perusing my recipes and thought I'd share my fall dinner favorites.  Last year around this time I shared a few posts on my favorite fall snacks HERE and my favorite fall desserts HERE. 

 (Like it?  You can order one like it over at my Etsy shop!  There are lots of new additions!)

When fall comes I get my crock pots and roasters out even more!  So easy to pop the ingredients in in the morning and have a meal waiting for you at dinnertime!  There's nothing like the fragrant Cinnamon Chicken to have waiting for you in the roaster! 

Chili is my easy go-to!  It does wonderfully in the crock pot or you can pop the ingredients in a pot on the stove and have it ready in an hour or two! 

Of course the easiest is Beef and Noodles!  So yummy and paired with some rolls...perfect! 

Pioneer Beef Stew is super easy, too!  Do you notice a trend?!  Fall is my favorite time of the year full of lots of fun activities so time savers are important! 

One thing my guys think of when they hear the word "Fall" is "FOOOOOTBAALLL!!!"  Football Sandwiches go great while watching the big game!


There you have it!  Some easy and fun fall dinners!  Enjoy!