I’m in graduate school, and I teach. As you can imagine, I don’t throw white parties like Diddy, and I don’t have any Benjamins lying around.
But I do have a spatula, a good heart, and an oven.
Everyone in my family is getting a homemade treat this Christmas. My kitchen is overflowing with homemade tea blends and various breads (so far I’ve got ginger and short). And now to make something I’ve never made before: granola.
I inherited my health-nut status from my dad, and he and I eat essentially the same breakfast every morning: greek yogurt and fruit with honey and walnuts. Wouldn’t a little bit of homemade granola take this breakfast from the ordinary to the insanely delicious? Of course it would, readers.
So that’s my plan… to make my dad hazelnut, honey, and cranberry granola.
Prior to commencing this granola-making-adventure (if you can call it that), I consulted a little known newspaper called The New York Times. It told me to be considerate of ratios, roughly 8 cups oats and/or wheat germ to 1 cup oil and sweetener. This is the golden ratio for granola, apparently.
My apartment smells wonderful right now– cinammony, sugary, oaty. I just tried the granola, and it’s soooo good. I don’t feel like waxing poetic about granola, so we’ll stick with “sooo good.” The olive oil is perfect and adds a slightly rich flavor. Yum! A good present for the treehugging, granola-crunching person in your life. Or for yourself. It’s that good. lv, molly
P.S. I erred on the side of making this less-sweet than standard granola. If you prefer sweeter, simply add more honey and brown sugar.
Honey, Hazelnut, & Cranberry Granola
Makes roughly 8 cups
Dry ingredients:
6 cups rolled oats (or 5 cups + 1 cup wheat germ)
2 cups hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. brown sugar
Wet ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 honey
To add at end:
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients; then add the wet. Pour onto a baking sheet (or baking pan), and cook for about 45 minutes, until the oats are toasted. Every 10 minutes or so, stir the oats, so that they cook evenly on all sides.
Take out of oven; let cool. Toss with cranberries. Eat or give to a loved one!
joie de vivre! 