Mary’s Holiday Gift Granola

Mary’s Holiday Gift Granola

Like all great recipes, the granola we enjoyed at Mary’s in Lake Havasu City has evolved over the years. I loved it so much I persuaded Mary to give me the recipe to share (and to make when we finally have a real kitchen). The original recipe is below in plain text, with Mary’s tweaks and adjustments in bold. Granola is as much a personal preference as anything, so use this as a base to create your own perfect blend so you can stop buying that expensive stuff at Whole Foods.

Holiday Gift Granola

1/2 C vegetable oil (canola)
1/4 C maple syrup
1 C brown sugar (substitute 1/2 C dark brown sugar)
6 C old fashioned oats, not instant (substitute 2 C oats, 2 C rolled barley, 2 C rolled wheat)
2 C walnuts, chopped (substitute 1 C walnuts, chopped, and 1 C pecans, chopped, or just pecans)
1 C wheat germ
1 C ground flax seed
1 C sweetened coconut (or 1/2 C sweetened and 1/2 C unsweetened)
1 C sunflower seeds (raw are best, I add some sesame seeds sometimes too) (later note: I don’t use these anymore)
1 C raisins and 1 C dried cranberries or dried cherries (I like dried cherries and cranberries, no raisins) (be careful not to over-fruit)

Preheat oven to 350 (325), spray two or three sheet pans with Pam (no Pam, it doesn’t stick)

In a sauce pan, heat syrup, brown sugar, and oil until sugar is dissolved. Mix the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT dried fruit in bowl. Pour oil/sugar mixture over top. Stir well. Spread evenly on the sheet pans.

Bake 10 minutes, stir, switch pans top to bottom in oven, bake 8 to 10 minutes more. (Watch closely, can burn if your oven has hot spots.  I bake at 325, a little longer).

Cool, stir in dried fruit.

Mixing
Mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
Baking
Toasting the granola.
Ready for milk and fresh berries.
Ready for milk and fresh berries.
Ready for eating!
Ready for eating!