Homemade Granola

My favorite "basic" cookbook is the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, and one of its best features is the Mix and Match recipes.  A few years ago I wrote a recipe post about the Mix and Match Egg Casserole.  

I love granola in my yogurt, but wanted to be able to control the ingredients.  I decided to give the Mix and Match granola recipe in the BHG cookbook a try.  It's SO good!

Nonstick cooking spray or butter

2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped NUTS

2 T SEEDS

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

LIQUID SWEETENER

FLAVORING

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup DRIED FRUIT

1.  Preheat oven to 300F.  Line a 13x9 pan with foil, extending over the edges.  Coat with cooking spray or butter.  

2.  Mix oats, NUTS and SEEDS in a bowl

3.  In a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and LIQUID SWEETENER.  Cook and stir until butter is melted.  Remove from heat.  Stir in FLAVORING and salt.

4.  Pour butter mixture over oats mixture.  Stir to combine.  Spread onto baking pan.  

5.  Bake at 300F for approximately 35 minutes.  (Press down with spatula halfway through cooking to get a clumpy texture.)

6.  Remove from oven and sprinkle DRIED FRUIT onto granola.

7.  Cool the pan and then crumble the granola.  Store in an airtight container.

NUTS (pick 1)

• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Walnuts

SEEDS (pick 1)

• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds

LIQUID SWEETENER (pick 1)

• 2 T honey and 2 T light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 T maple syrup and 2 T molasses

FLAVORING (pick 1 or 2)

• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t orange zest
• 1 t vanilla

DRIED FRUIT (pick 1 or 2)

• Apples
• Apricots
• Cherries
• Raisins
• Cranberries