HOMEmade gifts- GRANOLA

Homemade Granola makes for a wonderful gift. It's easy to make and it's a great snack or can be eaten for breakfast in a number of ways. Granola is also easy to personalize to your taste or the taste of the person you are giving it to. And very easy to make with your children, for giving to their teachers, coaches, and bus drivers. Sure beats a gift certificate from BK Lounge or McyD's.

Granola
printable recipe

1 stick butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup nuts whatever sort you love, we prefer pecans

1/2 cup of at least two dried fruits more if you like (cherries, blueberries, cranberries, apples, raisins, golden raisins, currents....the skies the limit!)

1/2 cup pepitas (optional)

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup flax seed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Hello there shoogA!

Please make this your own. Using any combination of nuts and fruits and you prefer or that the recipient of your gift would love. The only thing that is not optional is the oats!

Blend oats, fruits, nuts, wheat germ, flax seed, and pepitas in a large mixing bowl. Then in a sauce pan combine butter, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, and salt bring to a boil, stirring continuously until butter is completely melted and syrup begins to thicken. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow syrup to cool for a few minutes before pouring over dry mix of oats, nuts and fruits. Fold syrup into dry mix with a spatula until it is completely incorporated.

Spray an 11x15 inch sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray, spread granola in pan and press down. Place pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

After granola is cooled use a spatula to break it up into pieces.

If you are keeping all this goodness for your self then you will need to store it in an airtight container. Granola freezes well, if stored in freezer Ziploc bags, making sure that it is completely cooled and removing as much air as possible before freezing.

If you are making it for giving then you can fill plastic lined 1/2 lb. brown paper bags like these that I found at the Webstaurant Store. Or you could fill Ziploc bags with granola and place them in a pretty gift bag, or fill any number of airtight Christmas themed containers that are in grocery stores everywhere this time of year. You might even want to write the recipe out on a recipe card to give along with your gift of homemade Granola, because once they have it they are going to want more! It's addicting.

Happy Giving!