Granola

Found something to do with the maple syrup!  Granola can be really expensive for something that is mostly rolled oats, which cost less than a dollar a pound.  And then there always seems to be something in it you don't like, or something missing you do like.  Problem solved, make it yourself.

I'm still trying to take one meal a day with me to work, since I seem to be staying long enough for both breakfast and lunch on most days.  We do have a low-fat granola on hand, but I thought this would be a cool project that anyone could do, even as a cooking lesson with kids.  And it's nice and easy, after the last post.

I'm starting with Alton Brown's recipe, which has many positive reviews.  It's a little too sweet for my taste, so I'm cutting back on the sugar.  My mix-ins were sweet, which may have something to do with it, but even the oats part was a bit much.

Speaking of a bit much, this makes a lot more than I thought.  When his recipe said six servings, I was picturing six cups of granola.  Then it filled my half-gallon jar, and there was still more in the bowl.  I'm going to cut it in half here, and make the list of mix-ins more generic.  The only specific I'm using is rolled oats as opposed to quick oats.  It's going to make a big difference in your finished product.

1-1/2 C rolled oats
1 C mixed nuts (I used sliced almonds and broken macadamias)
*6 Tb (1/4 C + 2 Tb) coconut flakes - I used unsweetened
2 Tb dark brown sugar
*3 Tb maple syrup or honey
2 Tb vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
up to 1 C other mix-ins like dried fruit and chips

1.  Preheat oven to a mere 250º.  Get out a rimmed baking sheet.  No parchment or greasing required.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.  In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, vegetable oil, and salt.

3.  Combine two mixtures until dry mix is thoroughly coated.  You can even let it sit a few minutes to let everything soak in together.  Pour out onto sheet pan in a single layer.

4.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even browning.  If granola starts to look dry and crisp at the 1 hour mark, go ahead and pull it.

5.  Allow to cool on pan, then stir in dried fruit and/or chips.  I used dried cranberries and yogurt chips.  Taste and add light salt if needed, which would mainly be if you went heavy on the nuts.  Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Makes about 1 quart

Difficulty rating  π