Basic Granola

This is the granola I made frequently while growing up, and it's the granola I make about twice a month now. I make it 12 cups at a time in a large roasting pan because Alex and I each eat 1/2 cup of it every morning for breakfast, often with homemade yogurt, so we go through it quickly. As the title mentions, this is the most basic recipe I use. We (I) do occasionally get bored with it so I have a maple version and a peanut butter version as well. I enjoy making granola because it ensures that every day we can have an easy, inexpensive, and healthy breakfast that will carry us through our mornings. I hope you enjoy it!

Granola

Adapted from the More with Less Cookbook

Anastasia Tuckness

12 c oats

1 c honey

1 c vegetable oil

1 c wheat germ (opt.)

1 c walnuts

Additional nuts or dried fruit as desired

Several good shakes of cinnamon and salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 while you measure oats.

2. Toast oats in oven 8 minutes.

3. Stir in wheat germ, walnuts, cinnamon, salt.

4. Pour honey and oil over; stir well.

5. Bake for 8 minute intervals, stirring after each one and checking for desired doneness.

6. Cool on rack.

7. Mix in other cereals such as Grape Nuts and All Bran and dried fruit.

Chippy Oatmeal Raisin Bars

These bars have always been my standby when I need something basic to have around the house for desserts and snacks--I almost always have all the ingredients in the house and they take 15 minutes to whip together. I found the recipe on the back of the raisin box when I was in middle school. Until recently, I didn't bring them to potlucks because I thought they were too plain--yummy for home, but too basic to share.

Last Saturday I brought two pans to work to share because we had a big project going on and we needed fast fuel to keep us going. Turns out these bars were exactly the right thing--enough sweetness to make them fun and easy to eat, enough solid energy calories (oats, raisins, etc) to keep you going on a long day. I hope you and your friends enjoy them as much as we all did!

Chippy Oatmeal Raisin Bars

from the back of the raisin box

15 min prep + 25 min bake

1 c brown sugar

¾ c butter (1 ½ sticks)

2 eggs

1 ½ t vanilla

¾ c flour

1-2 c chocolate chips (I use about 1 1/2 cups usually)

2 c oats (I use rolled; quick oats work too)

¾ c raisins

1. Beat sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour slowly.

2. Stir in chocolate chips, oats and raisins. Spread in lightly greased 9x13 dish.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.