Homemade Granola

Once a month, I teach a class in my home called Investment Cooking.  We work together to cook, assemble, and freeze meals and homemade convenience mixes to use in the future. I love this type of cooking because it allows me to provide high quality, healthy meals for my family while saving time and stress at dinner time. This is one of the recipes that I will be demonstrating this month. We have been eating it for almost 15 years. And, it has changed and evolved over time to be healthier and more frugal.

Although the recipe does not call for nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or coconut all of these can be added easily to the mix. Just stir in whatever flavors you are craving just before baking and experiment to find out what combinations that you like best. I make it plain, and then we can all add all of the extras when it is served. Sometimes we eat it as a cold cereal or as a topping on plain yogurt.

Granola

1 cup raw sugar

10 tbsp. butter

2/3 cup raw honey

10 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 pinches of salt

Measure the sugar, butter, and honey into a saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Combine dry ingredients in a roasting pan (or in 2 9x13 pans). Pour sugar mixture over dry mixture in small amounts stirring well after each addition.

Bake at 375˚ for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Let cool in pan for several hours, stirring occasionally to break up the granola (otherwise it will become a big hard lump!). Once completely cool, store he granola in an airtight container. It will keep for at least 2 weeks.  Yield: 13 cups

Frugal Tip: If your family is used to eating cold cereal on a regular basis for breakfast, this Granola recipe is a great replacement. It is simple and quick to make and you can relax knowing that you are serving your loved ones “real” food for breakfast. And, in comparison to store bought granola, you will be saving lots of money too!