Homemade Granola

I don't know about you but I LOVE granola. Literally love it, don't really like any other kinds of cereal but granola. Especially since you can mix it up so easily, add some fresh or dried fruit, nuts, seeds, whatever. Kendra and I used to make granola parfait's all the time in college. That granola is just good stuff!

I got a hankerin' one day to try to make granola, couldn't be that hard! Justin's gramma Pat is known in the family for making the best granola, so I kidnapped her one day to show me how it was done. And now since I've done it successfully I just had to share, because believe me once you try it you'll be hooked too! I'm just saying...

So you start with your dry ingredients, quick oats...


...sesame seeds....

...brown sugar love...

...salt...

...sliced almonds or whatever kind of nut your feeling...

...some delicously fluffy coconut...

...then you add in the liquid ingredients which are just water, oil and vanilla!

Don't be shy, use your hands to mix it up good.

Yummmmmmmm! Doesn't that look delicious!

Then you split the batch between two baking sheets and bake it then enjoy some homemade goodness! I will give ya the recipe below, try it, experiment! I plan on adding dried cranberries to my next batch. And wow your loved ones with this wholesome, hardy goodness that will give you energy and leave you full and satisfied!

Gramma Pat's Homemade Granola

6 cups quick oats

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 T salt

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (do 1 1/4 cups if you don't want it as sweet)
1 cup walnuts (sliced almonds, whatever kind of nut you want) chopped

3 cups wheat flour

1 cup water

1 cup oil

1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. In a separate bowl combine the liquid ingredients, whisking till the well mixed. Add liquid to dry mixture, mix until all dry ingredients are well coated, break up any large chunks. Divide mixture between two baking sheets, spreading out evenly. Now here comes the tricky part. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, but watch as the time gets down so that it doesn't burn. Pull out sheets and stir granola. Reduce heat to 250 and bake for another 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. Continue to watch it closely as ovens can vary. I have to turn my oven off after 60 minutes and just leave the granola in to finish baking. Don't let it get too hard as it will harden up after you pull it out. Let cool and ENJOY!