“We’re developing a new citizenry.  One that will be very selective about cereals & automobiles, but won’t be able to think.” -Rod Serling, American creator/narrator of the incomparable television series The Twilight Zone

A few years ago, my Mother gave me my baby book to keep.  It’s one of my most treasured possessions, and is always a great read.  If I ever need a reality check about myself, all I need to do is take a look at my Mother’s notes about the baby/toddler me.  It’s pretty easy to see that not much has changed…..well, not really anyway.

“Loves to be outdoors and stare at flowers.”

“She gets bored easily & begins tearing apart the house if something new is not introduced.”

“Very enthusiastic about her computer.  Enjoys her privacy and likes to watch T.V. too much!”

“Rides her tricycle with NO problems.”

But perhaps my favorite note is (no surprise here) food related:  ”Loves raisins!  Pulls a whole box out of the refrigerator and runs!”

I can actually remember doing that as a mini-me.  I remember the boxes of Sun-Maid raisins I’d snatch from the refrigerator, the little snack-pack sized ones Mom packed in my yellow She-Ra lunchbox, that golden raisins were my favorite.  Though I tried to sneak all kinds of stuff into the grocery cart when she wasn’t looking, I’m now very grateful to my Mommy for raising me in a household that shunned junk food and sugar.  I was never allowed to eat “sugar cereals” for breakfast, I always got carrot sticks and peanut butter celery and Stoned Wheat Thins crackers in my lunch instead of chips and cookies, and to this day I have never drank a full can or glass of soda.  When I think about it, it’s pretty amazing how much my adult diet has been influenced by the way she had me eat as a child.  Together, my love of raisins and my Mom’s insistence on healthy eating meant that we ate a lot of oatmeal, Grape Nuts, muesli, and granola for breakfast.

It’s easy enough to run out to the store for a box of granola, but the last time I looked at the price tags on cereal boxes I almost fainted.  Granted, I’ve never bought much cereal – I prefer more savory breakfasts like eggs & toast – but once in a while I’ll still get the odd craving for some yummy, crunchy granola, chock full of dried fruit and nuts, and served with some creamy yogurt.  Turns out that granola couldn’t be simpler to make at home, and for far less money than it costs to buy the ready-made variety.  Plus, as with all cooking, you get to know exactly what went into the mix, you get to make it your own, and homemade is pretty much ALWAYS better anyway.

This recipe has a really nice “salty-sweet” thing going on, and really emphasizes the cinnamon, vanilla, and almond flavors.  Dried cranberries could stand in beautifully for the dried cherries too.

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned (not instant or quick-cooking) rolled oats

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. neutrally-flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. pure almond extract

1/4 cup whole unsalted almonds

1/4 cup unsalted pecan halves

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup golden raisins

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325ºF.  Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.

2.  Grab two medium stainless steel or glass workbowls.  In one, combine the oats, cinnamon, and salt.  Toss to distribute evenly.

3.  In the other bowl, combine the oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  Whisk together with a fork until everything is incorporated evenly.

4.  Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture, and use clean hands to combine them.  Squeeze some of the mixture together in your hands, and repeat until all of it is evenly combined.

5.  Spread the mixture out onto the parchment-paper lined baking sheet as evenly as possible with a rubber spatula.  Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the mixture begins to turn golden-brown around the edges and it becomes very fragrant.

6.  Remove the baking sheet and toss the mixture gently with the rubber spatula.  Sprinkle the almonds and pecans over the mixture and place the tray back in the oven for 10 more minutes, or until the nuts are nicely toasted and fragrant.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

7.  When the granola mixture is completely cooled, toss in the raisins and cherries and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Yield: 4 cups of hippie breakfast.  Peace man.