So Granola

First, an apology for the misleading ode to Daikon radishes in the previous post. Seems that the vegetable that stole all of our hearts is actually a regular run o' the mill radish. Read more here. Apparently, radishes were the staple food for Fraggles.

Granola class! Taught by the queen of her college co-op's granola production, Rose! I'd been wanting to make granola for such a long time and this first batch has only fed the flame. So easy! So good!

Rose's Guide to Granola:

1) Heat veggie/canola oil, some honey, and maple syrup in a pot. How much? Enough to coat the amount of oats you want to use, when mixed together in a big bowl. You can always throw in more oil if the oats are looking dry after mixing, but it's nice to let all the sweeteners blend a bit. Molasses is a definite possibility here, but it's distinct flavor will shine through, so make sure you factor that in.


2) Pour over oats in a big bowl. Spice it up. We used some cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of dried ginger, too.

3) Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Cook at 250 degrees for, mmm, a while. Sometimes when you take the granola out, it will get crispier as it cools, so go by color (it should be browned), not texture. Stir oats around halfway through the baking (or as much as you'd like), to ensure even browning.


Also, the more oil you use, the crispier your granola will be. But of course, too much oil is gross.




4) Adding stuff! We didn't bake any of the added ingredients with the granola. This is an option. It's recommended (third person sounds so official!) that you add these ingredients toward the end of the oat baking, to avoid them getting burnt or gooey. If you're putting raisins or other dried fruit in your granola, and you want to bake them in, soak them first, so they'll stay moist.



Our granola was blessed with crushed walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, and a special batch got chocolate chips.

Pictured below: the granola making an appearance at our Easter/Farewell Rose brunch.