Granola

At our house this granola is a staple; we may eat it for breakfast, but we eat a bowlful for a snack any time of day. It's filling; a person with my appetite—somewhat small— will eat little more half a cup at a time. This is a double batch, so I bake it in two goes because I like it crunchy (in other words, two pans at a time for an hour each = two hours). Also, I recently substituted roasted-pumpkin puree for the vegetable oil and it works great. (To puree the pumpkin, I added the water and vanilla measures to the blender.)

16 c rolled oats

3 c unsweetened coconut

3 c wheat germ

3 c nuts and seeds (sunflower, sesame, walnuts, almonds - mixed, or whatever is on hand)

1-and-1/3 c vegetable oil

2 c honey

1/2 c water

1 tb salt (optional)

3 tsp vanilla

3 c raisins

Stir vanilla and salt into wet ingredients and pour over dry ingredients (except raisins) in a large bowl. 

Mix well and spread onto two cookie sheets or large pans (cake pans and roasters have high sides and are thus less messy) and bake at 300F for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or more often if you smell burning. 

When oats are lightly browned, remove granola from oven (or to crisp it up more, leave it in the turned-off oven) and cool before adding raisins.

Store in airtight containers.

The granola can be kept in the freezer, too.

Most people eat theirs with a little milk or yogurt, but I just add some water to my bowl.