Homemade Granola

Homemade granola seems to be a popular topic. The Cleaner Plate Club had a recent post, as did a couple of people she linked to within her recipe, so you can check them all out and find your favorite.

When I make homemade granola, I think of a couple of things, one of which is a guilty moment from my past. There were a couple of girls in our extended neighborhood who lived a few blocks down and around the corner from us, in a cul de sac, third house on the right. They were sort of scratchy-voiced, obnoxious little girls, and were afraid of bees, but they were close to our ages, and somehow we got invited over. On one day that I was there, their mother was making homemade granola bars. The house smelled heavenly. She gave us each one to eat, and then when I left, she gave me a few bars (it is entirely possible that I asked for them) wrapped in foil, to take home to my mother. Well, they never made it all the way home. I scarfed down and savored every last one on the long walk home. I probably felt guilty for weeks afterward.

The other thing that always comes to mind when I make granola is my niece Kayleigh. She's going to turn 21 this month, so she's far from a little girl, but when she was a very little girl, we used to pal around together. When I make granola, I imagine showing her how to make it, and sitting in the kitchen together being friends. I do remember baking with my mother, but by the time I was in high school, she was pretty tired of putting dinner on the table every single day, and she doesn't cook much for herself anymore. (Update 06/11: Mom just requested my granola recipe. I think she's enjoying some kitchen time lately...)

I don't know why homemade granola is the thing that makes me think of all of this. Maybe it is its semi-wholesomeness, its money-saving aspect, or just the fact that it makes the kitchen smell so good that it makes you feel like having people over. Whatever it is, here is the latest incarnation. All quantities are plus or minus, depending on your personal tastes. Any dried fruit can be substituted in for the blueberries, and feel free to use the nut of your choice. I particularly like untoasted slivered almonds, as they toast along with the oats. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar. Just don't skimp on the cinnamon or omit the salt (though you may decrease the quantity).

May your kitchen smell heavenly.

Granola of the Week 5/25

Ingredients
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C butter
2 TB honey
1/4 C molasses, dark
1/2 tsp salt
(melt together above ingredients and stir into below ingredients)

6 C old-fashioned oats
1 c nuts of your choice, any form (I used pecans for this one)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 C dried, unsweetened flaked coconut

Oven 275 degrees, spread mix on parchment paper
Bake for 30 minutes, stir
Bake for another 30 minutes

Stir in 1 bag of dried blueberries (or 1 cup of raisins, currants, etc.)
Bake for 15-30 minutes or until evenly golden all over. Store in air-tight containers. Serve with yogurt or milk and fruit, adding more honey to taste.