Food Of The Gods... A Recipe

OK, chicks...

Today I'd like to talk about granola.

Not just any granola.

I'm talking about oneshabbychick's Homemade Granola.

How it came to be,

and how you can get some of your very own...

I first encountered this utter scrumptiousness years ago...

when a family friend brought a batch of this glorious stuff for a week at the beach...

and ever since then, I (and everybody else in that beach house) have been hooked.

I scribbled that recipe on a beach town grocery store receipt...

 and I have made it time and time again since...

I have tweaked the recipe a bit here and there over the years...

and I think I have hit the "sweet spot of granola".

At least I can't imagine it being any better.

The thing that I think is so special about this granola is

 it's made with rather everyday ingredients...

nothing terribly special on its own...

but mix them all together and toast them up in the oven...

and you have made something absolutely transcendent...

food of the gods, people.

And I have tried other granolas...

other homemade granolas, 

being sold at farmer's markets in cute little brown paper packages... 

for some ridiculous number of dollars per ounce...

or served in über-hip coffeehouses...

and I have not found a granola that I liked as much as

oneshabbychick's humble homemade granola.

So, I think this is your lucky day...

because you found this lil' ol' blog...

and this lil' ol' blog is gonna rock your granola world.

{ok, maybe not so humble after all}

 Here ya go.....

oneshabbychick's 

homemade granola

4 cups rolled oats 

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup honey

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup raw cashews or other nuts

 dried fruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, almonds and coconut.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, honey and salt until well-combined.

Add oil and honey mixture to dry ingredients and mix until evenly distributed - 

you want the dry ingredients to be well-coated.

Spread mixture evenly on an 18"x13" baking sheet (preferably non-stick) -

but you'll want to leave some clumps.

Spread the raw cashews out on top of the granola.

Bake until granola is a nice golden brown color - about 15 - 20 minutes - 

turning sheet halfway through so it bakes evenly. Do not stir.

Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 - 10 minutes.

Check granola to see if it has cooled enough to stay in clumps. 

When it has, use a spatula to separate the granola from the pan.

Sprinkle your favorite dried fruit over the top of your granola.

Cool completely, then scoop into your container of choice.

*****A word or two {or 50} about ingredients *****

This is a simple recipe...

 but I have found the quality of ingredients makes all the difference.

So....

I only use Quaker Oats.

I prefer unsweetened coconut, which can be hard to find...

 and I like the texture of big coconut "chips", which I buy in bulk from Nutty Guys.

The flavor of the honey has a big impact on the flavor of the granola. 

I experimented until I tried orange blossom honey. I search no longer...
It took my granola to the next level.

You can add whatever nuts or dried fruit float your boat. 

My favorite combo has cashews, 

Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend (golden raisins, cherries, blueberries, cranberries),

and diced apricots I buy in bulk from Nutty Guys.

I like a good mix of sweet and tart...

But you get to add whatever you want!

Here is our granola jar...

it sits in our kitchen and crooks its crunchy finger at us...

and we are unable to resist...

this granola gets munched by the handful more than any other way, I think...

But the truly heavenly way to eat it is on top of some homemade yogurt...

{made with my favorite yogurt maker - and I have tried a few}

but you can have a similarly divine experience with Fage or another kind of Greek yogurt.

And there you have it.

I hope this granola makes you as happy as it makes me...

Yours in toasted, honey-coated goodness,

oneshabbychick

P.S.

Don't forget to enter... 

oneshabbychick's Big100 Spring Giveaway!

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