Homemade Granola, Version One

I love starting out the week with a breakfast post. However, this week it was pushed back a day so that I could care the absolutely delicious Valentine's Day inspired cookie with you. 

It is so much fun to search for recipes. I always tend to favor the muffin/scone type of breakfasts because that is what I am accustomed to for weekdays. When I think of something for weekdays, I look for something that can be put into a sandwich bag for easy transporting and enjoyed on the road. Dan is a field technician so his job requires that he travels a lot.

I know that he loathes the Friday night question. I don't really understand why he doesn't see it coming. I love my schedule and it helps to keep me organized. I need to know what he wants to check my pantry and see what is needed to make the breakfast for the week. Convienent is a great thing to have on a weekday. It's nice to just throw the breakfast into a bag and send my dear husband on his way with something to eat. It makes spending the little bit of time that it takes to prepare and cook on the weekends worth it. Every time I say, "Breakfast this week is..." and wait for a response, I am normally met with a shoulder slump, eye roll, sigh, or a combination of the three.

This past week, he proclaimed that he needed a break from the muffins, danish, and scones because it is starting to make him fat. He opted for a healthier (less muffin-y) alternative of peanut buttered banana and granola. There is nothing impressive about slicing a banana and putting peanut butter in the middle. When I searched for granola, I was met by a slew of recipes. This is the first that I wanted to try. I love Alton Brown. Being a science teacher, I love the fact that he gives science explanations behind recipes - it's right up my alley. I adapted the recipe slightly to reflect the fact that I used honey roasted peanuts instead of almonds.

Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Source: Alton Brown, Food Network