Almond Granola with Dried Fruit
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:Store-bought granola suffers from many shortcomings. It’s often loose and gravelly and/or infuriatingly expensive. We wanted to make our own granola at home, with big, satisfying clusters and crisp texture. The secret was to firmly pack the granola mixture into a rimmed baking sheet before baking. Once it was baked, we had a granola “bark” that we could break into crunchy clumps of any size.Chopping the almonds by hand is the first choice for superior texture and crunch. If you prefer not to hand chop, substitute an equal quantity of slivered or sliced almonds. (A food processor does a lousy job of chopping whole nuts evenly). Do not use quick oats.
Servings: 9 cups
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups raw almonds chopped coarse
Add after baking
- 2 cups raisins or other dried fruit chopped coarse
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated.
- Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8 inch thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact.
- Bake until lightly browned, 20 minutes, rotate pan, bake 20 – 25 minutes more.
- 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 dried fruit.
Notes
Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Easy Recipe for Granola
Servings: 6 cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked oatmeal quick or old fashioned
- 1 cup shredded or flaked coconut
- 1 cup pecan or walnut pieces
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup chopped dried apricots
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except raisins, dates, and apricots in a large bowl and mix well.
- Sprinkle into 11″x7″ microwave save baking dish.
- Cook in microwave on high power 8-10 minutes or until light brown, stirring after every 2 minutes.
- Stir in raisins, dates, and apricots and sprinkle into a large shallow baking pan or onto a cookie sheet to cool.
Notes
Store in a tightly covered container.
Note: Watch the granola in the microwave very closely when cooking. Check it after every 1-2 minutes to ensure it does not burn.
Granola
Servings: 12 cups
Ingredients
- 8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup wheat bran
- 1 cup oat bran
- 1 cup sliced almonds or more
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½-1 cup ground flaxseed
- 1½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- In a large roasting pan, combine the oats, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, sliced almonds, salt and ground flaxseed.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the brown sugar, olive oil, water and vanilla over medium heat until hot and sugar is melted.
- Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and toss to combine. If dry mixture isn’t damp, add a little more water.
- Bake in preheated oven 3½ to 4 hours. Remove from oven and loosen granola from bottom of pan while still hot. Let cool in pan. When cool, store in an airtight container.
Notes
Additions: If desired, add 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries to the mixture before baking.
Substitutions: If you have trouble finding wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran, substitute one for the other.
January 2013
Autumn Spice Hot Cereal
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- ½ cup quinoa flakes see note
- ½ cup buckwheat cereal chopped-up whole groats, sometimes labeled creamy buckwheat or cream of buckwheat
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 3 whole cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- ½ vanilla bean see note
- 1 slice dried ginger or a pinch of ground
- 2 pieces of a broken star anise
- 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
Instructions
- In a greased slow-cooker, stir together water, oats, quinoa, buckwheat, maple syrup and salt. Add spices: cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger and star anise.
- Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Remove whole spices and stir in butter or coconut oil and just before serving.
Notes
For the quinoa flakes and buckwheat cereal, look for Bob’s Red Mill and Hodgson Mill brands. In place of vanilla bean, add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract after cooking.
Home-ground Cream of Wheat
Ingredients
- 6 T ground wheat
- 1¼ cup water
Instructions
- Add to 2 cup measure
- Microwave 1 minute, 30 sec, 30 sec, 30 sec.
Notes
Scott likes white sugar with his.
Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups water if using a slow cooker liner decrease the water to 3 1/2 cups
- 1/2 cup half and half or milk
- 1 cup dried fruit of choice apples, raisins, cranberries, apricots etor 1 – fresh apple (chopped, optional
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar
Instructions
Prep:
- First off find a bowl that will hold four cups of liquid, and fit inside your crock pot with the lid on.
Instructions:
- Measure out one cup of steel cut oats. Pour that into the inner bowl. Add the four cups of water, milk or half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, butter and cinnamon sugar. If you would like to add dried fruit or a cut up apple the add it as well. Fill the crock with water to about halfway.
- Set the inner bowl in the crock and see how high the water rises. Add more water in the crock if necessary. Try to match it so that the water reaches about the same height on the outside of the oats bowl or just below the bowl.
- Place the lid on your crock pot. Set on low and go to bed. When you get up the next morning your oatmeal should be cooked perfectly in that steamy water bath.
Notes
October 2011
Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Servings: 7 3/4 cup
Calories: 150kcal
Ingredients
- 2 apples 2½ to 3 cups chopped, peeled, cored, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1½ cups fat-free milk
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or substitute maple syrup or other desired sweetener
- 1½ tablespoons butter optional, cut into 5-6 pieces
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional garnishes: chopped nuts raisins, maple syrup, additional milk or butter
Instructions
- Coat inside of 3½ quart (or largeslow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppingto slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for approx. 7 hours (slow cooker times can vary). Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired.
Notes
Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.
To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup fat-free milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.
Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.