Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Monday, November 11, 2013

Homemade Granola

My girls have been raving about their homemade granola for a long time.  When I asked for the favorite recipe, Erin said, "Oh I just throw in this and that.  Whatever you like".  But she suggested that I start with this one and Rachel seconded the motion.

So today we made this slightly sweet, crunchy granola in our kitchen.
We started with the Smitten Kitchen recipe and changed it up a bit.  It was determined by what we had in the pantry (or the lack thereof).  Am I "smitten"?  YES I AM.

I like that this granola is chock full of nuts and dried fruit.  The recipe calls for olive oil, which is healthy oil so I like that too.
Just a note here; I thought the olive oil might impart too strong of an "olive-y" flavor but it doesn't. You won't discern any difference between the olive oil and soy oil which is used in many commercial recipes.

I had some beautiful Pure Vermont Maple syrup that I bought as my "souvenir" from a trip to Vermont (it's a luxury).  But I also remember Erin saying she liked honey in it so I replaced about 1/4 cup of the syrup with clover honey.  I also chopped up some dried mangos and apricots to add with the suggested dried cherries.  And lastly, I don't like walnuts so I substituted pecans.

Our version is delicious.  I had to keep swatting hands away from the sheet as it was cooling.  This might be a staple in our house.  And I think I'll make it just the same next time.

Click on the link above for Deb's Original Recipe.




13 comments:

  1. {Gasp!} You don't like walnuts??? {Double Gasp!} I loooove them and have them almost every morning with my yogurt. I've never been much of a granola eater, but your granola looks delicious and I'm thinking I should make some for said yogurt. Yum Yum!

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  2. This looks good Bonnie. I like the idea of you swatting the hands to keep them off!! xx

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  3. Thanks Amy.
    Walnuts give me mouth sores Anna. But other nuts I'm ok with. I think this granola would be good with almonds too...and maybe hazelnuts. My girls those this over their yogurt. Which reminds me, I need to make some yogurt.

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  4. This sounds wonderful! Bonnie, You even make yogurt!?! :) Amazing!

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  5. Your granola looks so yummy! I use to make it often years ago, but got out of the habit, after the kids left home. It would be so good again with yogurt or just to nibble on by my sewing machine! I too get bumps on my tongue from certain nuts and too much citrus. (Found out about the citrus last year, around Christmas, when I fell in love with clementines and indulged :(

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  6. Bonnie, this sounds like something I would munch on by the handfuls! Sounds addicting.

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  7. this sounds delish.....I just bought some granola but I'm trying this recipe before buying anymore. thanks...

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  8. Okay, in all my daftness, do you just eat this granola as is? Or on yogurt or what? I always hear people talking about homemade granola recipes -- and I am not sure how you're to go about eating such stuff! ha!

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    1. You will be tempted to eat it as is...it s that good but it is great as cereal with some milk and even better sprinkled over yogurt

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  9. Sounds so much better than the stuff I am want to buy at Winco (dry and hard ). Love your stockings too. I do not craft for the holidays, but I sure admire all the things that you make! Joni

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  10. Yummy!
    We love homemade granola too!
    I use sunflower oil, and honey in ours, and add in all kinds of delicious nuts, and dried fruit too.
    Filling, and healthy :)

    K.

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  11. I love homemade granola and we have a recipe that has been around a long while. Easy to change up as desired. I love walnuts and always add them as well as sunflower seeds to the mix. I've switched over from canola oil to coconut oil for my recipe and I like that. (another healthy oil) Eating granola is almost like eating oatmeal cookies, don't you think? YUM!!

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