Granola
(A spiced up version of a Cook’s Illustrated recipe. Great with Yogurt for breakfast.)
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325º. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wisk together
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
½ t ground cardamom
4 t vanilla
1/3 cup maple syrup
Add & Wisk Together
½ cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil, make sure it’s fresh)
Fold in
5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.)
Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (~3/8” thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40-45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking.
Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size.
Stir in
2 cups dried fruits (raisin, dried cranberry, chopped dates, etc.)
Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.