GRANOLA MIX

I love the cookbook, "Make A Mix".  You can find it about anywhere.  If you buy it, purchase the revised version.  It has a lot more recipes than the origial.  This recipe is from that book. 

Have you ever noticed how expensive granola is?  This recipe makes A LOT of granola for pennies.  It so easy and yummy.

You can use it as a topping on pancakes, make fruit and yogurt parfaits, put it on ice cream, mix it into bread or muffins, or just eat it with milk (I like almond milk).  It fills you up and gives you energy.  It has real "stick to the ribs" power.

You can leave out the nuts if you want.  I like the sunflower seeds in it but I leave out the almonds because my kids wouldn't eat it otherwise. 

GRANOLA MIX

10 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 C wheat germ
1/2 lb shredded coconut (I like the unsweetened, unsulphered kind)
3 cups chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (optional)
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups raw sunflower seeds (or toasted ones if you can't find raw)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup butter or vegetable oil, coconut oil, or palm oil (Costco has a nice Mediterranean blend that I like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses (can substitute corn syrup if you want)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
raisins, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, or whatever you like in granola

Preheat oven to 300F.  I like to combine all dry ingredients in a clean, white, non scented, kitchen bag.  You can mix it in a big bowl too.  Once its mixed, you will need to put it in a bowl so that you can pour the syrup on it. 

Cobine the sugar, molasses (or syrup), oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a sauce pan.  Heat it enough to dissolve the the sugar, but do not let it boil.  Pour it over the dry mixture and make sure all of the dry mixture is coated.  Line some baking sheets with parchment paper.  Use as many as you can fit in your oven, because this mix will take several batches to bake.  I even resort to using cake pans and such.  Spread it out in an even layer on the pan and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes.  You want it to start to turn gold.  Once it is done baking, you can pour it out onto pieces of parchment paper or foil to cool.  You will want to load those pans up again and bake the next round.  Add dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc., once its cooled.  Store it in ziploc bags, plasic containers, or glass.  Just make sure its airtight.  Will keep for 6 months (although it never lasts that long around here :) ).  Enjoy!  Makes about 20 cups.