"Kitchen Sink" Granola

I was talking to one of my girlfriends the other day about our favorite topic -- diet and exercise -- and the subject turned to what we liked to eat. After a while we both admitted that we just love things that crunch. When it comes to crunchy, the first thing I think about is granola. Not just any granola... It has to be slightly sweet, with some tart and chewy dried fruit thrown in, with a whole lotta nuts and a major crunch factor. Every now and then I'll make a great big batch. It's easy, and much less expensive than what you'd buy at the grocery store. The only drawback is that once I make some, I can't help grabbing a handful every time I walk past the jar.

I call this "Kitchen Sink" Granola because it has everything BUT the kitchen sink thrown in. I can't ever decide what flavor granola to make so I throw in everything I like...dried cherries, raisins, blueberries, cranberries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds...the works!

Sure, this is good enough to eat all by itself, but try it for breakfast in milk (you won't need to worry about it going soggy for quite a while), sprinkle over yogurt for a snack, or put some with some ice cream for dessert.

Kitchen Sink Granola

6 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (cherries, blueberries, raisins, cranberries)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine the honey and oil in a measuring cup.

In a large mixing bowl, mix oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle oats with honey and oil mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon. Line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oats onto the baking sheet into a thin, even layer. Bake for 45 minutes.

Pour the baked oats back into the large mixing bowl and add the dried fruit and coconut. Mix well. Return mixture to the baking sheet (spreading evenly) and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.