Homemade Granola

I love granola. But, the stuff you buy in the store can be high in sugar and fat, right? So, I decided to make my own and tweek a recipe that I found to make it my own.

You owe it to yourself to try this heavenly mixture. It's perfect in the morning with milk or as an afternoon snack with yogurt. Hmmmmm...


This is what you need:

Here are the delicious almonds that I crushed up....

 ...with a very hefty, manly knife. Somehow I always tend to cut a finger when I use large knives. So I was careful. Very Careful. And I made sure my trusty husband was nearby.

Put all of the liquid, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a pan on medium heat.
It should come to a rolling boil in a few minutes.

Get your cookie sheet ready with foil and make sure to spray it with Pam. It's a lifesaver.

 Pour all of your dry ingredients (see below) into the boiling mixture. Turn off the heat and just mix it all up.

And pour it onto the cookie sheet!

 Spread it out evenly

It should be lightly browned and crispy. At this time, your house will smell
a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
Pour in the raisins and cranberries.


And ta-da!! You have delicious homemade granola! Dig in.

Granola:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup Special K
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup finely chopped almonds (can also use walnuts and/or pecans
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins and sweetened dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line one large baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Spray with Pam, or any vegetable spray.
Combine the oats, Special K, sunflower seeds, almonds in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 10 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.