I absolutely LOVE homemade granola. The fresh ingredients that include oatmeal, nuts, seeds, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon to name just a few things. When the granola bakes, the aroma wafting throughout the house has everyone's tummy growling in anticipation.
I think I love making homemade granola the most because of memories from when I was growing up. I remember my Mom in the kitchen making granola and how awesome the granola smelled coming fresh from the oven. I am almost positive she used to put dried dates in hers. I am definitely going to have to call and ask. This granola did not get any dried fruit but then with all the nuts, seeds, and other fun ingredients, fruit was not needed. This so beats the last recipe of granola I made. Thanks to reading Pro Bono Baker's website, I discovered that she also loves this recipe and shared it in her blog.
The issue that I had with my previous recipe was the granola didn't make little clumps. The consistency was more like pouring oatmeal out of a bag with allot of other great ingredients. . .no clumps. I saw ingredients in this recipe I have never even heard of, like flax seed meal and millet. Isn't millet what I feed the little birds in my yard? My sister told me "Oh, that is so good for you" and all of a sudden I wasn't so sure I wanted to make it any more. I know nutritious doesn't mean the food isn't going to be full of flavor BUT my tastebuds were starting to rebel. I quickly changed my mind when the first batch came out of the oven. So good!
Harrison House Granola
Ingredients~
7 C steel cut oats
.5 C brown sugar
.5 C light olive oil
.5 tsp sea salt
.5 C almonds
.5 C pecans
.5 C cashews
.5 C raw pumpkin seeds
.5 C sesame seeds
.5 C flax seed meal
.5 C millet
.5 C oat bran
.5 C unsweetened coconut
.5 C raw sunflower seeds
.75 C honey
1 Tbl vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
Directions~
Preheat oven to 300F.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Clumps are OK.
Spread mixture on two large baking sheets, lined with silicone mats.
Bake about 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until lightly toasted.
Remove from oven and let cool on sheets, stirring periodically. The granola will continue to cook.
Store in airtight containers when cool.