Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

• 18 ounces of rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut (optional)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds (or pecan or walnut pieces)
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees
• In a large bowl mix oats, coconut, almonds, wheat germ and salt, stirring well.
• In a saucepan stir together, oil, honey, maple syrup, water and brown sugar, heat slowly and only until brown sugar has melted. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and stir.
• Pour over dry ingredients and mix well coating all of the oat mixture.
• Pour and spread out onto 2 large foil covered baking pans with an edge so the ingredients won't fall off. Place in the oven. In 10 minutes stir both pans well. Wait 10 minutes and stir again. *If you have pans on two different shelves in the oven swap the top one to the bottom and the bottom one to the top. Check and stir every 5 minutes until done. *Keep a close eye on the granola the last few minutes making sure it doesn't burn.
• Cooking time can vary from 25-35 minutes depending on your oven and how toasty you want your granola.
• Remove from the oven and add the fruit, allow to cool in the pan. Keep in an airtight container. Makes approx 2 quarts of granola.