Granola

This takes a little practice to get right, but once you do you'll want to make it all the time. The trick is to take it out of the oven before it's burned, even though it will be a little soft. It gets crispier as it cools. 

Adapted from NY Times Cooking. The photo is mine.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking or steel cut)

• 1 cup raw slivered almonds

• 1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 1 tsp. kosher salt (not table salt!)

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup and olive oil. Place over low heat and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved, being careful not to let it boil.

4. Pour the sugar mixture into the bowl of oats and stir until well combined. If the mixture seems wet throw in another handful or two of oats.

5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread a thin layer of the oat mixture on each sheet. You don't want it piled up because it won't brown well, so make sure the mixture is lying pretty flat.

6. Place in the oven and bake until dry and golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Stir the mixture half way through and switch the placement of the baking sheets if one is browning faster than the other.

7. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets completely. The oats will get crispier as they cool. If after 10 minutes so you feel like the oats aren't crispy you can put them back into the oven for a few more minutes.

8. Once oats are cooled, stir in dried fruit if you want. Store in ziplock bags or another air-tight container.