The Basics II: Granola

This is based loosely on my mother's recipe - 1 cup honey melted and mixed with 1 cup oil, poured over 7 cups flaked cereal (can be oats, rye, wheat, triticale, or any combination thereof). I usually use up to ten cups cereal 'cause I think it's healthier. Possible addtions before it goes into the oven for the toasting stage: any kind of shelled nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, wheat germ; anything at all that likes to be toasted and will not clash with each other. You can add 3-4 cups of additions. In the frugal kitchen, 'clean out the cupboards' granola takes an honoured place beside 'clean out the fridge' soup and 'clean out the freezer' smoothies. You also want to add any spices before the toasting stage. Powdered are best. Cinnamon is very good with most granolas, and cardamom goes really well if the fruit is raisins, dried apples, or dried pears.

The toasting stage takes place in a 300-350 degree oven. You give it a stir every ten minutes or so until it looks and smells like granola - usually this takes me half an hour to forty minutes. If parts of it burn, the rest of it is usually still OK. This stage fills the kitchen with comforting spicy toasty smells. You add dried fruit only after toasting, since dried fruit that gets toasted often ends up hard as rocks. You can also add spices after the toasting stage, if you forgot earlier. If you forgot nuts, definitely toast them separately before adding them for maximum flavour. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.