Extreme Granola Recipe Epicuriouscom

GRANOLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F.
• Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. add the canola oil, honey, and molasses (if you measure the oil in your measuring cup first, the honey and molasses will pour more easily). Stir until well combined and all the dry ingredients are coated.
• Spread the granola on a baking sheet with a spatula-if you like your granola with clusters, make sure it's packed together tightly.
• Bake for 10 minutes before stirring. If you want to preserve clusters, just be sure you don't stir it too thoroughly.
• Continue baking and stirring every 10 minutes until the granola is golden brown-about 30-35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add dried fruit. Allow the granola to cool completely (it will get crunchy as it cools). Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

EVERYDAY GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir honey and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight.
• * Available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores.

EXTREME GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large shallow baking sheet with foil. Spread the pecans and almonds on the sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Transfer the nuts to a board, let cool, and chop the nuts. Set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Pour the oats and sesame seeds, if using, in a mound on the same baking sheet. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave; stir in the maple syrup and salt, and drizzle on top of the oats. Stir well with a rubber spatula and then spread out the oats in an even layer. Bake the oats for 30 minutes, stirring once with the spatula halfway through, until the oats are lightly colored. Let cool; the mixture will crisp as it cools.
• Add the dates, dried fruit, and reserved nuts to the oats and toss. Store the granola in covered glass jars at room temperature for up to 1 month.