Yesterday I made a double batch of granola. Dana posted a link to a recipe on her blog a couple weeks ago & I got to thinking about it ... then a friend & I were talking about flaxseed & I got to thinking about it. Then I realized that Wednesday of this week [today] was Teacher Appreciation Day at school ... in honor of F.I.R.E. I'm sure something was done on a grander scale, but I wanted to take a little extra gift to Brett's classroom teacher, para, & resource teacher for all the extra love.
My mom made this recipe 7 years ago when I was home visiting from Florida (I remember it because I was pregnant with little Davis). I was in heaven. I did crack my tooth on something in it, however, so I've been leery to try it again. :) But ... it was just as good as I remembered, if not better.
RECIPE for HOMEMADE GRANOLA:
Bake @ 300 degrees for 1 hour
Makes 9 cups
Serve with milk for breakfast or just by itself for a snack.
4 c. old-fashioned oats (11oz)
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I found some unsweetened coconut chips in the health food area)
1 c. sliced almonds (4oz)
1/2 c. unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 c. whole flaxseed
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
2 Tblspn. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. raisins
1 c. "Craisins" (I used the cherry infused Craisins ... highly recommend them!!!) or other dried fruit
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan (I used parchment paper!!!!).
2. Combine dry ingredients (but not any of the dried fruit!).
3. In small bowl, whisk together oil, water, vanilla & honey. Pour over oat mixture. Mix well. Spread mixture evenly in prepared jelly roll pan.
4. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until mixture is golden brown & slightly crunchy. Cool in pan on wire rack. Stir in raisins & other dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.
I know stirring every 15 minutes may sound high-maintenance. But trust me ... the smell that comes from getting to open your oven door every 15 minutes is well worth the effort. Make some. Take some to a teacher for a Fall treat; mail some to a friend whose husband is deployed; pair it with a Snuggie for a Birthday gift. That's where all mine went anyway. :) [I don't think my friend is a blog reader, so it'll still be a surprise]
Make some ... & make some days while you're at it! :) I already have plans for making another batch next week. [What else am I going to do with all that flaxseed?]
[* I put them in gallon size Ziploc bags, inside of lunch bags.
Made one gift tag & one tag listing the ingredients
- just for food allergy purposes. And curiosities. :)]
2 comments:
totally going to make this!! yummy!! such great gifts you give rachel!!
Such a great idea---I'm sure the teachers all appreciate it! It's something they can snack on at school or take home.
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