12.28.2010

Mmm....Granola

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It's 6:00 AM. The alarm is obnoxiously screeching. It's dark outside. And the apartment is freezing. What could be the remedy for this dismal situation? Simply put: granola.

A mixture of seemingly ordinary ingredients somehow becomes so delicious. Perfect with milk! Great on top of yogurt! Wonderful as a snack! I might as well say it--we love granola.

One problem: the store wants your first-born for 10 ounces of the stuff.  I mean, five bucks! For that tiny bag? You have got to be kidding me. This recipe not only tastes better but you'll no longer have to subsidize your income in order to pay for this tasty treat.  

I must give a serious "hats off" to my mother-in-law for this recipe. She was the granola tester and made quite a few versions before deciding this one was the best.  I would have to agree--the whole batch was gone in one weekend!

Make sure to also check out our other granola recipes here and here!


Homemade Granola
by Diane

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dark Karo syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups nuts (we use 1/2 cup each of almonds, walnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds, then toss in some sesame seeds at the end)
4 cups oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried fruit (we use cranberries and raisins)
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add oil, brown sugar, Karo syrup/agave nectar, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla.

Combine coconut, nuts, oats, and salt in a large bowl.  Add butter/sugar mixture and stir together until evenly coated.  Transfer to a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, mixing ingredients halfway through to prevent burning.

Remove from oven and add dried fruit. Drizzle honey over the top and toss to coat. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

6 comments:

Caitlin said...

once we get a home, we are making this...until then, we're comin over to your place!

Anonymous said...

YUM. jealous of lama's ability to eat your food.

Roger said...

Yes, it's excellent granola as you say. I am the lucky husband, and the lucky recipient of Diane's culinary exploits, and so I concur heartily! Bon apetit!

Alex Griffith said...

Finally a post by Le Man.

Wife said...

Le Man has also posted about pizza and thanksgiving part I...but yes, he should post more! :)

Margaret said...

I just made this....put in the oven only to discover I shouldn't have added the raisins. Too much work to pull out all the raisins so I'll hope for the best.

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