on the road

I've been on vacation since the end of May, which I thought would leave plenty of time for blogging.  Not so much.  But I have had lots of time for visiting and eating, of course.  Each time I have stopped in to see someone, I have labored over what to bring (sorry Lauren--IOU).   My favorite bottle of wine is a bold red and not condusive to this heat.  My favorite berries are still coming from distant lands.  And my favorite chocolates didn't survive the road trip from Vermont.

Granola has been the great stand in this time around.  I found this recipe in a February issue of Martha Stewart Living. I was looking for something sweet and delicious to make Phil for Valentines Day and found this recipe to be the only standout.

photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Makes 7 cups--i typically double or even triple the recipe.  

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dried unsweetened coconut chips (i get these gorgeous flakes in bulk from Hunger Mountain Coop)
• 1 cup almond slivers (Martha calls for pecans or walnuts, quartered--use your fav)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (grade B adds the best flavor, and i have been using Phil's homemade gold!)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (but use your favorite dried fruit)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix together oats, coconut, nuts, syrup, oil, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread granola in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for 40 minutes. Add cranberries, and bake until granola is toasted, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.

If you're looking for a granola that clumps, this isn't it.  It's got a great crunch and sweetness, but it doesn't really clump.