I LOVE granola. I would eat it for every meal. But it is too expensive to buy, and I don’t love that. So I set out a while ago to find the perfect homemade granola recipe. Well, I never found it… It was always too crunchy, too soft, not chunky, not flavorful. Boo. So, after trying more granola recipes than I care to admit, I decided to combine my favorite parts of several recipes into one perfect recipe.
Please don’t be alarmed that it has to sit in the oven for four hours, because it takes about 10 minutes to throw it together before that, and drying it out at low heat, instead of baking it quickly at a higher heat, is what makes all the difference. You can also add dried fruit, nuts, or whatever you like in your own granola, using this as a base. Now, here it is for you to enjoy!
S’s Simple and Delicious Granola
2 cups whole oats
2 cups quick oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and grease with butter or spray.
In a large bowl, mix the oats and almonds. Set aside. In a small saucepan, add the brown sugar, oil, and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla. It will bubble, so be careful! Pour liquid over the oats and almonds, and mix until evenly-coated.
Spread oat mixture on cookie sheet, and place in the oven. Heat oven to 200 degrees to allow it to dry out slowly. Stir every hour. Remove after four hours, or when granola appears crunchy and lightly golden.
Yum. I love it!
Happy eating!
xo, Sam