granola anyone?

this is one of our family's favorite recipes. it's simple, healthy, and easy to make. you can customize it to your family's likes, too! win win, right?

so here's the recipe:

granola

6 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut

1/3 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup canola oil

2/3 cup honey

1 t. vanilla

add all dry ingredients to a big pot and stir well - incorporating everything together. mix 3 wet ingredients together before pouring over the dry ingredients. i usually warm the 3 liquids together and mix with a hand mixer to ensure better combining. so stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients - stir well until there are no naked dry stuff. spread onto a cookie sheet (if needed, use two cookie sheets) lined with parchment or sprayed with pam. parchment makes it easier to clean. oh - and don't ask how i know, but wax paper shouldn't be used ... :)

bake for 30 minutes at 350. after 15 minutes of baking, take the pan out and stir well to ensure even cooking and less chance of burning. watch closely during the last 15 minutes, also.

let cool and store in airtight container.

if you want, add some dried fruit to the mixture after it's cooled.

i usually make a triple or quadruple batch of this. after mixing everything, i put 1/2 of the granola mixture onto a cookie sheet. with the other 1/2 of the mixture, i had 1/2 cup more of honey. because i like it chewy and mr. wonderful likes it all crunchier.

ENJOY!!