Granola

This is Alton Brown's recipe for granola that my mom shared with me last year. The first time I made it, I didn't add any dried fruit to it. I just ate it plain or on top of yogurt. My husband ate it by the bowlful with milk and a spoon. I made it again last night and added dried cranberries to it. I can't stop eating it this morning! The cranberries add such an unexpected flavor and texture burst.

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup cashew nuts (optional)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

preheat oven to 250­°

In large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil and salt.

Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 baking pans. Cook for 40 -50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Watch your time!

***The recipe calls for transfering the granola to a large bowl when you remove it from the oven, but I actually dump it out onto a paper grocery bag that I had cut open. The granola will keep cooking a bit after you take it out of the oven, so I spread it out to cool it faster. Otherwise I think it may get a little overdone if it was grouped in a bowl.***

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. (or spread on grocery bag)

Add raisins if you prefer and mix until evenly distributed.

May substitute dried cranberries or dried chopped apricots for raisins.