Megan's Granola Recipe , The Best Granola EVER!

I never pictured myself making granola.  But when you're married to a man that loves granola, you make granola.  To Read More, Click On The recipe Title.
 When I told Paul I was going to make it, he went to the store and bought everything he wanted in it.  Seeds, nuts, wheat germ, dried fruit, honey, maple syrup...and the list went on.   

I was lucky enough to find Megan's Granola Recipe on Allrecipes, it had every ingredient in it that he brought home..  Not to mention 634 comments that sung the praises of how this granola recipe was better than anything you could by at the store...anywhere.  Ok!, we have ourselves a recipe.    I made this on Saturday afternoon while my husband and our neighbor were working in the garden.  While it was baking my house filled up with this amazing aroma that....I can't believe I'm saying this, smelled better than any cake I've ever made.  My husband walked into the house, walked back out and told our neighbor....you wouldn't believe the aroma in my house right now!  The only ingredient I added to the recipe was about a  tablespoon of orange zest.  Before I cut an orange, I grate the zest from it and freeze it for later use.  It really comes in handy. This recipe made 5 quart jars of granola, there's only one left.  This recipe can be made to the taste of your family by using the nuts and dried fruit of your choice and the zest of a lemon or an orange . My husband eats this for breakfast, and he'll walk  around with a jar eating it as a snack.  I'm sure you'll find your own way of enjoying it...using it as a topping for yogurt or ice cream sounds good to me!   Everyone that tasted this granola, absolutely loved it, seriously LOVED IT!  THANK YOU MEGAN for this absolutely perfect granola!



To print the recipe click here.



Megan's Granola Recipe
Allrecipes

Ingredients:

8 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups wheat germ

1 1/2 cups oat bran ( I didn't use this)

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup roasted salted pepitas ( my addition )

1 cup finely chopped almonds

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup honey

1 cup vegetable oil ( I used extra virgin olive oil)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups raisins or sweetened dried cranberries ( I used dried apricots and raisins)

1 Tablespoon ( more or less) of orange or lemon zest. ( my addition)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, orange zest and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, let boil a minute or two, it will thicken slightly and coat the oats better ,then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.