Recipe: Granola

Please pardon any funky spacing issues, I am having issues with the layout. Also, real pictures will be coming, maybe tomorrow night - these pictures were already in the computer ready to go - I do want to show you what we've been up to lately besides crunching on granola.

Before I made this granola, I asked Andy if he liked granola and he responded with "Well I married one, didn't I?" :-) He makes me laugh.

Ingredients:
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey


First, spread the oats on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Turn oven to 350, leave oats in for about 10 minutes (I usually leave them in until the oven gets to temperature).

While the oats are warming, prepare the "wet" mixture. If you measure the oil immediately before measuring the honey, the honey will not stick to the measuring cup. Seems obvious, but I never thought of it until someone else told me, so now I'm sharing with you, in case you didn't know.

It's pretty thick and sticky.....








At this time I chop my pecans and pull the pine nuts out of the freezer. These aren't on the ingredient list because you don't have to add them.

Next, add the warm oats to the sticky mixture.

Stir well. And remember to use a BIG mixing bowl - this gets messy. Once the oats are mostly mixed in, add the nuts. Or not. But adding the nuts now coats them in a bit of brown sugar and honey, and anyone who doesn't like their nuts coated in brown sugar and honey, well let's just say they don't deserve to eat this granola!

Now everything goes onto the cookie sheet. Spread it out pretty evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350, stirring often. I stir every 4 minutes. OCD and all. After 20 minutes, immediately get that sticky deliciousness off your cookie sheet. I put it all on a big piece of parchment paper to cool. Then I employ the best (or laziest, depending on your point of view) method of washing sticky pans - the let it soak method. Break up the granola as you wish - if it's still kinda warm, it will be sticky but pieces will not fly around the kitchen as freely. At this time you can add your raisins, pumpkin seeds, etc. If the granola is given a chance to cool completely, store it in an air-tight container.

This recipe came from my Grandma Marg. I'm sure she has no recollection of having made it, but I know it was hers, so she gets the credit for this.