Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Granola

One thing I neglected to mention about my sister-in-law Lauren is that she makes the BEST homemade granola. Last summer, when we stayed with them for a weekend, I had some of her granola for breakfast and just about flipped out. It was better than any I had ever tasted. She emailed the recipe to me and I've been sitting on it for 8 months. I just never made it. I don't know why.

So this weekend, when we visited again, I had another serving of the famous, fabulous granola, and I promised myself I would make it as soon as I got home. And I did! It's simple, nutritious, and have I mentioned delicious??

It's a flexible recipe so feel free to substitute any dried fruits to equal the 1 1/2 cups of raisins it calls for. I used extra large raisins and tart dried cherries. It's also okay to leave something out, and add extra of something else. For example, if you don't feel like paying $8.00 for a jar of 10 macadamia nuts, just skip them...like I did.

Granola

4 c. rolled oats (not quick oats)

1 c. sweetened coconut

1 c. chopped pecans

½ c. chopped walnuts

½ c. sliced almonds

½ c. chopped cashews

½ c. chopped macadamia nuts

½ c. raw sunflower seeds

½ c. raw pumpkin seeds

¼ c. wheat germ

1 ½ c. raisins

Syrup:

¾ c. maple syrup

¼ c. honey

¼ c. lightly salted butter

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. vanilla (whisk in last, after taking off of the burner)

In a large mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients except raisins. In a saucepan, heat and whisk syrup ingredients on medium low heat just until melted. In a large jelly roll pan, drizzle syrup over granola mixture and stir to coat. Bake @ 325 for 40 minutes until lightly browned, stirring every 15 minutes. (40 minutes includes the stirring time). Immediately after baking, pour baked granola back into mixing bowl and mix with raisins. (Raisins will toughen if baked with the rest of ingredients.) Allow to thoroughly cool (so it won’t be sticky) and store in an air tight gallon size container in refrigerator.

This recipe is made from a collection of several recipes combined –the best of all!

Good served with just milk, or with plain or vanilla yogurt, and fresh fruit (combination of bananas, all berries, and fresh “golden” pineapple). Also makes a pretty breakfast layered in a parfait glass –fruit on bottom, granola, yogurt, layered twice. Sprinkle top with cinnamon/sugar. Barefoot Contessa at Home has a recipe called Breakfast Fruit Crunch p. 226, with a picture of her granola layered with yogurt and fruit in a parfait glass. Really pretty!


2 comments:

Carol said...

I get the macadamia nuts at Sprouts in the bulk bins where you can get only the amount you need. Much cheaper than grocery store jars. And if you hit one of their bulk bin sales, you can get extra and keep in the freezer.

Lauren C. said...

Also, Costo or Sam's is a good place to get big bags of nuts, and large containers of cinnamon and syrup (if you make this as much as I do).