Granola

I've been eating this granola often for about 10 years now. It has become a staple in my kitchen and I take it with me when I travel (at least in the U.S.; I hate those motel "free" breakfasts). My favorite way to eat granola is in a yogurt parfait with plenty of fresh fruit. Frozen berries work well in the winter.

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Granola

Adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown

3 c rolled oats
1 c slivered or sliced almonds
1 c walnuts, pecans, cashews, broken or chopped
3/4 c shredded sweet coconut
1/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c plus 2 T (3/8 c) maple syrup
1/4 c vegetable oil
3/4 teas salt
1 c raisins or other dried fruit, optional

Preheat oven to 250F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts coconut and brown sugar. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures, mixing well. When you begin, you may feel it won't really incorporate, but keep stirring. Place mixture on a 12 by 18 inch rimmed sheet pan. Cook for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, depending on how crisp you like granola, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and cool. Stir in raisins or other fruit if desired. Store in an airtight container or zipper bag.

Notes:

This is a basic recipe and it can be modified in numerous ways to suit your tastes. You can use a combination of rolled flakes. As long as you keep it at 2 cups, the nut combination can be varied (Aunt Diane used to make this with peanuts in her nut mix). You can add spices or vanilla (1/2 teas cinnamon is a good way to start). I don't generally use the raisins (personal taste issue) but like to add any dried fruit to my cereal bowl according to my mood. If you don't have any dark brown sugar, you can make a substitute by adding 1 teas molasses to the liquid ingredients.

I usually quadruple this recipe, mixing two very large bowls at a time (I mix two double batches). Since the granola freezes well, it is easier to do this once every couple of months. I cook the granola on two sheet pans, which are very full but by being careful, I can manage to stir it without mishap.