GRANOLA

 

Contributed by Carolyn Heaton

I got this recipe from my mother in 1972. You can put in just about anything you want to. Sometimes I have to put in more moisture, but if you need to add more water you need to coat it with a little oil as it mixes in better. It makes a big amount, but I freeze part of it and then I don't have to make it so often.

Mix in a very large bowl or pan:

• 12 cups rolled oats
• 2 to 4 cups chopped nuts. (Almonds, walnuts, or pecans}
• 1 to 2 cups sunflower seeds (optional)
• 1 to 1-1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup bran (optional)
• 2 cups coconut (can use unsweetened)
• 1/2 box All-Bran cereal (optional)
• 1 to 2 cups millet
• 1 to 2 cups pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup salad oil (original recipe called for 1-1/2 cups oil)
• 1 to 1-1/2 cup brown sugar or 1 cup honey

I also put in some frozen apple or orange juice concentrate. Sometimes I put in molasses as part of the sweetener. You can adjust the sweetener to your taste.

Mix all the wet ingredients together. The oil coats the water and mixes it in better. I sometimes put it in the microwave to melt the frozen juices; it also helps melt the honey.

Pour over dry ingredients and mix well with forks. I usually put part of it in a bread mixer as it is heavy and hard to mix evenly. Or mix it in two containers. Then put it back into the bowl and continue to mix in with the forks until all is well coated.

I bake mine in 3 dripper pans sprayed with Pam. Bake for 1 to 11/2 hours on convection at 200°. I sometimes change the pans around and stir each pan several times during the cooking time. If you don't have a convection oven don't put it on the bottom rack or it will burn.

Optional ingredients are: soy flour, whole wheat flour, powdered milk, sesame seeds, dates, raisins, cranberries

The flours and milk change the consistency and more liquid has to be added. I sometimes put in grated orange rind for variety.