Vanilla granola

Not to brag or anything, but I think this may be the best granola I've made.  And I've made a lot of granola, usually not with much success.  This recipe is adapted from Epicurious and I quartered it so we would actually finish it.  The original recipe makes 8 cups and there's no way we'd eat 8 cups of granola in the 2 weeks it keeps.  It's just not possible.  This recipe makes slightly less than 2 cups, which is perfect for me and Dave, assuming we eat yogurt parfaits every work day.

We've been eating a lot of smoothies lately but I wanted something a little different and instead made yogurt parfaits.  Turns out parfaits are way easier than smoothies so that's an added bonus.  Anyhoo, here's the recipe for granolly.  I think coconut oil adds a little something special to the granola but you could also use canola or vegetable oil. Avoid using an oil that's super heavy or strong-tasting.  I also have a bad habit of slightly burning my granola so putting it back in the oven after turning the heat on ensures it continues to cook without scorching.

Vanilla granola

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 300.  Mix oats, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl.  In a smaller bowl, mix oil, honey and vanilla together.  Pour oil mixture over oats mixture and mix well.  Spread evenly in a pan that's been liberally sprayed with cooking spray.  Cook for 10 minutes, stir granola well, turn off the oven and put the granola back in the oven for 10 more minutes.  Let cool completely and store in a tightly sealed container.

Makes just under 2 cups

Adapted from Epicurious' Vanilla-Scented Granola