Alton's Amazing Granola

My new discovery? Homemade granola is SO much better than storebought granola.

I've had $11/package granola called "The World's Best Homemade Granola" from Spoon by my office, Penelope's homemade granola with dried fruit overkill, Whole Food's granola, you name it I've tried to find the best kind. I had settled on BreadAlone's $5/bag of organic granola as the best mix of value and taste, but a few weeks ago I tried to make some of my own at home.

I searched for the recipe with the best reviews and the mix of ingredients that I liked the most, and found that Alton Brown's recipe had 161 reviews, almost all five stars. With that in tow, I went home and concocted my own version of his granola. And let me tell you, it is DELICIOUS. Better than any granola you will ever buy at the store, cheaper, and super easy to make. I'm serious. Try it. Or if you're really nice to me maybe I'll make you some. :)

Granola
Adapted from Alton Brown's Granola recipe
With a lot of liberties taken by me

4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup whole almonds
1/3 cup pecans
1/3 pumpkin seeds
1/3 sunflower seeds
2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup flax seeds, to be healthy
1/3 cup wheatgerm, to be extra healthy!
1/3 cup + a bit dark brown sugar
1/3 cup + a bit honey (or maple syrup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried fruit

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, flax seed, wheat germ and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine honey or maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. To get clumps (which I researched myself!) press granola mixture down in to pans lightly, so as to form a thin sheet of the wet granola.

Bake for 30 minutes. Switch sheet pans from top to bottom. Increase oven heat to 275 degrees F, continue baking for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool for 10-15 minutes, and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly
distributed.

Yum! I promise you, you won't ever buy storebought granola again.