Basic Granola

School started this week! Woo hoo! Right? Maybe. We'll see I guess. It's a love/hate relationship. I love the kids and teachers/staff I work with. I love what I do as an occupational therapist. I hate the idea that summer is over and my once free days of doing whatever I want to do (or don't want to do...i.e. cleaning) are now over. At least until next summer :)

So after a long first week of planning and scheduling, and planning and scheduling, and planning and scheduling, the weekend is finally here!! Which means I really just feel like crawling under a blanket and not doing anything. But, because that would be so unproductive I've decided to make more granola.

I say "more" granola because granola is a staple in our house. My husband literally eats it every morning with yogurt. When we're out of granola it might as well be chaos. That's actually not true. My husband is a very calm guy and would resourcefully find something else to eat. Like leftover pizza. Or meat. It's been known to happen. But, because I don't always find leftover pizza and meat the most appetizing in the morning, I will gladly make him granola to eat instead.

This is super simple, delicious, crunchy granola. The key is to let it sit and cool completely before you break it apart. I've done the "I'm in a hurry. I can't wait for this granola to cool" thing before. It is still delicious if you don't wait. However, it all separates into individual oats. If that's what you're going for more power to you. Go for it! Mix it up immediately after baking. I'm a bunches of granola kind of girl so letting it cool is for sure the way to go for me.

BASIC GRANOLA
recipe adapted from Like Mother, Like Daughter
prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 1 hour
makes: approximately 3 cups of granola

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups oats (old-fashioned rolled oats)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine brown sugar, honey, and vegetable oil in a small skillet. Heat on medium, stirring often, until the sugar is completely dissolved but the mixture is not yet bubbling. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
3. Place the oats in a mixing bowl. Pour the brown sugar and honey mixture over top of the oats and add the cinnamon and salt. Mix until all the oats are lightly coated with the brown sugar and honey mixture and everything is combined. 
4. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread granola mixture over the sheet evenly.
5. Bake granola for 1 hour, mixing every 15-20 minutes.
6. Let granola cool completely before breaking into pieces.
7. Store in an airtight container.

NOTES

I sometimes add raisins to my granola once it is cooled. You can really add any of your favorite dried fruits after the granola is baked and cooled! If you want to add nuts and/or seeds, I would replace some of the oats with whatever you want to add and bake it as normal.