Gifting Granola

If you are looking for the Giveway post, click on this link....

december-giveaway-day

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I'm in the process of making something for Advent...a countdown of sorts for my little boy who just can't wrap his head around the fact that Christmas is NOT today.  But in the meantime, I've been making something else....

Do you remember the Granola that I got at the Farmer's Market over the summer?

Well I do, it was really yummy.  But it cost a ton and I had really been wanting to try to make it for myself ever since I had tasted it fresh.


Of course, I have bought granola at the grocery store.  You know, the kind in the box with the plastic bag inside...the kind that really sort of half-crunches-half-smushes when you bite into it.  The kind that TASTES like it has been sitting on a shelf for a long time.

Well actually,come to think of it.....that's exactly what it has been doing.

I found a recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and I decided to try to make a batch for myself.

My own variation, of course.  Omitting the ingredients that I didn't like or didn't have (like the coconut, butter and brown sugar, just to name a few)

I had a Mason jar of roasted/salted sunflower and pumpkin seeds mixed with almonds.

And I always have oats and dried fruit on hand that I mix up with yogurt..... like this

I also had some Buckwheat Honey....PERFECT!

I mixed all of it together with some oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Spread it out on a cookie sheet and baked it for 30 minutes (stirring it every 10 minutes)

It came out just perfectly.  Golden colored and intoxicatingly scented in it's vanilla spice goodness.... 

Crunchy and soft in all the right parts.

This batch is about half way gone already, but I am going to be making a fresh batch closer to Christmas.  It's going to be spooned into little Mason Jars with ribbons and cards as gifts for the boy's teachers.

And I'll be sure to keep a few jars on hand for any unexpected visitors.

Vanilla Spiced Granola Recipe

4 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup of dried fruit....I used cherries, cranberries, and raisins

1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup roasted sunflower seed hearts

1/3 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup honey

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

and a sprinkling of salt (if the nuts aren't salted)

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I've been overwhelmed with the turn out for the giveway...such nice people.  I really hope that some of you will continue to join me here, even after the giveaway.

Hugs to you all.