Hey you other Alchemists! I'm back after several weeks hiatus. I was having a fabulous time not doing anything! My husband had three weeks off from school, so we made the best of them. Lots of tea, and fuzzy socks, and our new favorite card game, Netrunner! If any of you have any interest in card games that involve a lot of strategy, bluffing, and resource management...then this game would certainly be one to check out. We got it as a Christmas gift, and have already played close to 20 hours of it. Like I said...lots of tea, fuzzy socks, and card games...haha.
Our vacation actually would have involved bashing around San Francisco with our family, but we picked the biggest winter storm of the season to travel in. We were supposed to get in before Christmas and stay until New Years, but horrible roads and multiple wrecks turned us back home. I was deeply sad because I've never spent Christmas away from family. But thankfully, I have the best little family (my husband and our two dogs), so we had a warm, quiet Christmas together. And thankfully, the weather cleared a few days later and our family was able to come see us! That made the whole week fantastic! We went to see Les Miserables, ate yummy Mexican and Thai food, played boardgames, and had some wonderful conversation. It was great!
So, back to food! I thought I would share a classic recipe that I've developed over time that speaks to me of snuggly days at home: my homemade granola. It seemed appropriate since our Christmas involved spending a large amount of time hibernating at home, although this particular recipe is a year round staple for us. I always keep a giant plastic tub full of granola in the pantry. It is perfect for breakfast...especially with a little yogurt...and it makes a great afternoon or evening snack. It is healthy and filling. Plus, it can be changed or added to easily, so anyone can tailor the recipe to their desires. As always, I rarely make it the same way twice (because it can always be better), but I have learned the basic technique is sound and worth following. And I have learned what NOT to do, which can sometimes be the most important aspect of any recipe!
The Experimental Alchemist's Homemade Granola
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup dark brown sugar
6-8 cups rolled oats
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup almonds (whole, or cut into pieces)
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 TB cinnamon
Put the oats, seeds, almonds, and cinnamon in a very large bowl (big enough to stir everything without it spilling over), and mix thoroughly.
Ready some casserole dishes ready by spraying them with spray oil or buttering them. The casserole dishes should be 2-3 inches deep...this helps the granola to bake quickly and evenly.
Put the oil, honey, molasses, sugar into a small pot with a little bit of water (about 2 TBs). Heat on med. high heat until sugar is melted. When sugar starts to boil, take it off the heat and pour the whole mixture over the oat mixture.
Stir quickly until all the oats are evenly coated. Pour into your dishes and bake for 20 mins. Take out the granola and stir it (otherwise the top and bottom will burn). Bake another 15-20 mins.
The granola might feel slightly wet and soft at this point, but once it cools, it will be dry and crunchy. Cool the granola completely (I usually let it cool on the stove for a few hours...if I have the space). Store in an airtight container. For this amount, a very large tupperware may be necessary...or you could use a couple of gallon sized ziplock bags.
Although this recipe is solid, you can easily change it up!
Let's start with the oil. I love coconut oil because it is very healthy for you and it tastes great. But you can easily use any other light oil like safflower, canola, or sunflower.
Not sweet enough for you? Or maybe you don't have honey or molasses? You can use just brown sugar. I cannot recommend using refined, white sugar since I do not use it myself. The great thing about honey and molasses is that they are much healthier than white sugar, plus they have their own unique flavors that make the granola taste wonderful. Granola would taste great with more of each in the recipe.
Now for additions to the granola. I think this is the most fun part because there are many things you can add to granola to make it unique. For example, I used to add peanuts into my granola...which made it taste like peanut butter...yum! Pecans or walnuts would also be great (though not toasted as they will toast in the oven with granola!) Or add in some unsweetened shredded coconut. This would go perfectly with the coconut oil. Lastly, there is a plethora of dried fruit that would go perfectly. Raisins are a good choice, though dried currents, cherries, cranberries, or even apples would be delicious!
NOTE: DO NOT add in the dried fruit before you bake the granola. It will burn. Believe me...I have done this and then had to spend time picking it all out again. It is best to add the fruit in after the granola cools completely.
That's it! This recipe is so easy to make, does not take long, and lasts our family at least a month. Enjoy! :)
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