MAPLE CLUSTER GRANOLA

~ Frugal Living NW

6 c. old fashioned oats
3 c. seeds and coarsely chopped nuts
1 1/2 c. small or coarsely chopped dried fruit
2 T. butter
1 c. maple syrup (or 1/2 c. maple syrup, 1/2 c. brown sugar, and 2 T. water)
2 T. olive or coconut oil
1 t. salt
2 T. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit.

Heat butter, syrup (and brown sugar and water, if using them), oil, and salt in a small pan over medium heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Pour the syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir to mix. Split the granola between two greased, rimmed pans, packing down lightly. Bake for 10-15 minutes, rotate pans, then bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before breaking into clusters.

Makes one gallon.

Notes: I've used flax, sunflower, and pumpkin for seeds; chopped and sliced almonds for nuts; raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, and chopped dried apricots for dried fruit. I sometimes do the more frugal option of syrup, brown sugar, and water instead of straight syrup.

I only have one rimmed pan, which is about 11x15-inches, that I use for all granola recipes, so I put the whole mixture in that pan, don't pack it, and cook in two increments of ten minutes, followed by two increments of five minutes, stirring after each increment except the last. I don't end up with any clusters that way, but when I pack it down and let it cook without stirring, the bottom ends up a little chewier than I'd like.