granola for the new year

i welcomed the new year by getting my wisdom teeth removed. almost as awesome as it sounds. but now that the swelling is gone and the stitches are out i'm ready to calmly greet the year ahead of me. the closets are mostly reorganized, the donations dropped off and, most of all, we're doing our best to keep things simple. and that includes the food i'm making and my family is eating.

truth be told, i don't love cooking. if i had the resources i'd hire an alice in two seconds to take over all cooking and housekeeping. but, no alice will be joining us in our 650 square feet anytime soon, so i have to do what i can. and for me, it all starts with loved, simple recipes that i don't mind making and that stick around for a litte while. like granola. in fact, granola is a staple in our house. and i really don't think there is a more deliciously simple granola than that made from the recipe i inherited when i married chip. beautifully basic, not too sweet, just barely salty, and no seeds (i'm not a seed fan). i've been making it regulalrly for the past 9+ years and imagine that, like my mother-in-law, i will continue to fill our home with it's warm honeyed smell for the next 20. i've made huge batches for campouts and i've given it to friends at christmas, but mostly we just love to have it on hand at home for those cozy winter days. and every other day of the year too, really.

Granola

10 c old fashined rolled oats
2c whole wheat flour
2c wheat germ
2c coconut
1.5- 2c chopped pecans and sliced almonds
         mix above ingredients in large bowl

4T vanilla
1/2c water
2c honey
1c (or less) oil
         mix wet ingredients in separate bowl, add to try ingredients
         and combine well. spread in shallow pans. stir gently every
         15 minutes or so while baking. bake at 250 until deep golden
         and almost dry, approximatley 2 hours. remove, let cool.
         store tightly covered. in the refrigerator if you have room (i don't).

put milk over it and eat as cereal, top it with yogurt and fruit, eat it plain, add raisins or whatever to it. however you eat it, enjoy. enjoy the simplicity of the granola and the year ahead. or just throw it all over the kitchen like charlie does. that seems to bring a lot of joy too.

here the boy is, because you haven't seen him in awhile. he's awesome. even if he does draw all over the couch with sharpie and throw his thomas train in my face to wake me up in the morning.

Comments

[Bren]

I just made some of the granola! Have already passed the recipe on. Just think... a lot of your super yummy granola will be enjoyed by tons of soldiers in Iraq next week!!!

[Sarah]

look at the belly! full of Granola probably! He is just too cute.

[Chaz]

Thanks for the recipie. I love your blog; always anxiously wait for your new post. Thanks for all your work.

[stef j.]

hi. i always read you. your blog, that is.

and i am pretty excited to try this granola recipe. so excited, in fact, that it brought me out of my blog stalker closet to actually comment.

ps. his belly = adorable.

[a r i a n e]

you remind me of my mom with your crafts and homemade clothes and spendy shoe habits and granola. my mom made granola. we loved it because it was a sweet alternative to the cracked wheat we ate the rest of the time. it sticks to your ribs, though. or my seven siblings and i are all just natural athletes, immune to sugar and TV and, oh, say, germs. that's us, in our Blue Bird flour sack shirts with our at-home haircuts and thinking that quarter pound whole wheat silver dollar pancakes are the best stuff on earth. it all comes back suddenly, like when one pulls out a picture album at grandmuzzie's house and is caught off guard by the past, summer tans and Sun-In highlights and the disarming smiles of youth.

[nichole shinners]

oh, baby 650 huh. I am never ever allowed to complain again. Love the granola, love all you r creative awesomeness.

[jackie]

you're a good mama! onward with the granola recipe, sounds yum

[ROXY MARJ]

WHOA! 8^[) ahahahah lol Babes Charlie is totally preggers!!!! ;[)

p.s. loooove looove granola! A little trick-a-roo... toast those pecans in the oven with some brown sugar or honey... THEN, take them out and pop them in the freezer!!! YOU WILL THANK ME AND HATE ME! They are sooo good by themselves and then in the granola of course! <3 ;)

p.p.s how do you guys like your weasel and woodpecker print?

[Piapie]

A friend brought me granola, fruit, and yogurt after the birth of my second baby. It was the perfect food in those first few days. I have since come into a great granola recipe that I bake up at least once a month. And whenever a new baby is born, you can be sure that I send over a batch. I just might try your version next week.

[CKBH]

i love your baby's budda belly!!!!

The granola sounds pretty wonderful as well!

[Mimi]

if you don't have room in the fridge, where do you store it? I am in the process of making it right now.

[katie]

if no room in fridge, just in an airtight container wherever.. we keep ours in the cereal cupboard, but sometimes on the counter. good luck!!

[cally]

I just made this granola today and I LOVE it. thank you.

[elle moss]

yum! love the addition of coconut. i have never added that to my granola, but i bet it gives it an amazing texture and flavor!
thanks!

[Amber]

I am loving this granola. I made it a couple days ago and am eating some now. I added a handful of Trader Joe's dried tart montgomery cherries to the mix. Mmmmmm...so good. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Cecelia]

My friend made this for me this weekend and it is so good! Thanks for the recipe!

[olivia rae]

i love homemade granola! so different from store bought. and your little boy is so beautiful. love his tummy. xoxo

[swalberg]

My daughter gave me some of the granola she made from your post. SO good! I will make my own. Thanks

[Mrs Chris]

I just made the granola (without the nuts- my 1 year old is tree nut & peanut allergic) and it is SO AMAZING! Its just the right amount of sweet....delish. Thank you for sharing.

[sarah l]

i love that belly.

[Paige]

This granola is so tasty. I made it last night and will be sending to my deployed husband, thank you for sharing!

[sarah]

It says to stir every 15 min does that mean you have to stir this every 15 min while it bakes over the 2 hours? I don't know if I could do it. I would have to have something else to do by the area for 2 hours. Is it really worth it, it seems like a long time.
Can this be frozen or stored somehow? How long does it last for? I think it would be worth it only if I made it in large batches, both to give out and keep.

[plumbing]

Granola is a breakfast food and snack food, popular in North America, consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until crisp. During the baking process the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose, breakfast cereal-type consistency. Dried fruits, such as raisins and dates, are sometimes added.

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