Monday, January 10, 2011

Perfect Granola

(I eat this with yogurt and fruit, like the yogurt parfaits at McDonalds - but also this is completely fabulous with just milk - like a bowl of cold cereal.) Makes a great gift!

PERFECT GRANOLA
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil (I use Canola)
1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla

7 cups oats (I use old fashioned, NOT quick cooking), chopped pecans, sliced almonds, etc. (just make sure your combined oats/nuts only equals 7 cups)

Mix brown sugar, oil, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil.
Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla.

Mix oats and nuts in a large bowl. Pour liquid ingredients over. Stir well until well coated.

Spread in a 10×13 pan. (I use a broiler pan for this. I either spray it with Pam first or use a sheet of parchment paper - which I fold up and reuse over and over every time I make granola). Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

Take out and stir.
Return pan to oven. Turn oven off.

Go to bed. Wake up to a delicious, cinnamon-y sent wafting through your kitchen!

The directions say to go to bed. But I peek at mine and if its looking done, I go ahead and take it out or crack the oven door so it doesn't continue to cook. I think my oven is slow to cool down.

Add any dried fruits after this granola is finished. Break apart and stir in ziploc or large glass jar.