This year I got tired of paying
120 pesos a kilo
For the only good granola in San Miguel.
So I figured out
How to make good granola.
Make that EXCELLENT granola
Every time.
Back in the early 70’s,
When I was a hippy
It was a requirement of the hippy job
To make and eat granola.
To tell the truth, I hated granola back then
And the granola I made
Never turned out.
It was like eating dry oats
With dry nuts,
Dry seeds
And dry fruit
I may have well hung a feed bag
Around my neck, it was that bad.
This last year, Mark Bittman
The minimalist chef
Who writes for the NYTimes
Put up a simple recipe
For no brainer granola,
Which I have been playing with
And it turns out toasty golden
With a slight crunch
That opens up into a chewy mouthful.
Here is the article with Mark’s recipe
Here’s what I do with his recipe:
(play with the quantities and ingredients -it always turns out great)
6 cups of whole rolled oats
3 cups of nuts (I use walnuts, pecans & almonds)
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup salted pepitas
2 cups raisins
2 cups dried mango
1 cup honey
Salt to taste
Cinammon/canela to taste (about 1 tsp to 1tbsp)
Ground Cloves to taste (not too much)
Put the oats in a large bowl
Cut the nuts into medium pieces & place with the oats
Add the sesame, pepitas
Drizzle the honey around the top
Mix well.
I usually start with a wooden spoon
But always end up with my hands in it.
If you get your hands wet first, it isn’t so sticky.
If you don’t,
You get to lick your fingers!
DO NOT put on the fruit yet.
Preheat the oven to about 375 degrees
When the granola is completely mixed
Place it on a cookie sheet or flat baking dish
(Don’t put in the fruit until the end of the baking)
It normally takes one large and one medium cookie sheet
Spread it out evenly
It bakes for a total of about 1/2 hour
After 10 -15 minutes
Take it out of the oven
Use a spatula to mix it around a little
Getting the browned oats from the edge.
Do this in another 7-8 minutes
At the end of 1/2 hour (should be golden toasty brown)
Take out of the oven and sprinkle the dry fruit over the top
Mix in with a spatula or large spoon
Put back in the oven for about 5-7 minutes
Voila! Granola
I usually cool it in a large pan,
Stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Store in glass jar with lid
It keeps a really long time.
You’ll eat it all
Way before it can possibly go bad.