rhapsodic.org

Tree Huggin', Bunny Thumpin', Granola Crunchin'

10c rolled oats
1c wheat germ
½lb shredded unsweetened coconut
2c shelled sunflower seeds
1c sesame seeds
3c chopped assorted nuts (almonds and cashews)
3c assorted dried fruit (cranberries and apples)

Combine above ingredients in large bowl. A really giant bowl, bigger than my all-purpose stainless steel mixing bowl because otherwise half of it will end up on the floor. We're talking over 20 cups of dry goods here. Set aside.

1½c packed brown sugar
1½c water
1½c vegetable oil
½c honey
½c molasses
½t salt
2t powdered cinnamon
3t vanilla (plus some extra for good luck)

Heat slowly in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves completely. Do not boil. Get impatient and scoop out the hardened brown sugar chunks that may never dissolve and replace them with the soft stuff from the bag by guessing how many spoonfuls to add. Scoop a hardened chunk from the bag and plop into mouth. Smile and hum to yourself.

Set aside to cool and preheat oven to 400°F.

Pour cooled liquid over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste test it. Three or four times, just to be certain.

Spread granola on edged cookie sheets or glass baking dishes. Maybe both, if you only have one of each. Bake 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Get impatient once again and put the cookie sheet and the glass baking dish in the oven together. Forget to stir it and forget to switch racks and burn a fourth of your yummy granola. Yell at your husband to open the door in hopes of getting the smoke out, then open the door yourself when he doesn't understand which door you mean because the balcony door is already open, isn't it?

Let unburnt granola cool completely, stirring periodically, before storing in air-tight ziplock bags and tupperware. Assign your husband to have a bowl of the burnt batch so as to determine whether suitable for human consumption.

Enjoy it mid-morning at the office with milk making coworkers jealous.