You know you’ve been in California too long when you start making your own granola. But readers, that is what has happened. I find that store bought granola is generally too sweet and has weird things in it. This is a delicious old family recipe supplied by my mother-in-law. Clearly, not my side of the family – since Asian people don’t have a tradition of making granola. Our old family recipes are of like miso paste and dumplings.
Rollefson Family Granola
(Notes are from Grandma D)
- 1 – 42 oz. box old fashioned Quaker oats
- 12 oz. jar wheat germ (or 12 oz. rolled wheat, rye, bran etc.) – I always use wheat germ
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 2-3 cups nuts (I chop them coarsely; Aunt Betty doesn’t chop them – your call) - I usually use walnuts and pecans but almonds work too
Mix the above. Then in a blender combine:
- 12-16 oz. jar honey – I use 12 oz of honey (or 3/4 c. light molasses + 1/4 c. honey , or 1 c. malted barley + 1/4 c. black strap molasses)
- 1 cup safflower oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 Tbsp vanilla (yes, that is really tablespoons!)
- (optional: 2 T. cinnamon – I never have used this)
- 1 tsp salt
Blend the liquids until smooth, then mix with the dry ingredients. Add raisins here if desired.
Spread on cookie sheets (2 large cookie sheets on 2 shelves of the oven). Bake at 175-200 for 3-4 hrs. max. (what I do) OR at ~250 for 1-2 hours.
My breakfast of yogurt, granola, bananas and maple syrup. Yum.