Made From Scratch: Granola

Like most foods, everyone has their own opinions about the best way to make something, or what to include in it, etc.  Personally, I don't think that granola should have dried fruit or coconut in it, so when I decided to make granola the first time, I left out about half the ingredients from this granola recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I altered it so much over the next few months that when Adam went to make it 2 or so years ago and asked me where the recipe was, I told him, then went I looked at it  and didn't even recognize it.  My modifications have been a triumph in our household though, because Adam has decided that this is the best breakfast ever and I have made it every week since we discovered it (which was about 2 1/2 years ago).  It makes for a hardy and tasty breakfast.  It is especially delicious when served with plain cream-top yogurt.

Granola:
6 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw flax seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil (coconut or canola)
1/2 cup honey

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seed, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Stir until relatively even.  Then pour in the vanilla extract, oil and honey and mix until the honey and oil has coated all of the dry mix.  Put a silicone liner or piece of tinfoil sprayed with non-stick spray on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Pour half of the granola mixture onto it and pat it down with a rubber spatula (this will help it your granola form clumps).  Bake in the oven for 12 -15 minutes, turning some of the mixture over with a spatula at the 10 minute mark.  Remove from oven when golden brown on top.  Let cool for about 15 minutes.  Cook the 2nd half of the mixture.   Pour granola into a tupperware or other sealable jar.  It lasts the two of us about 7 days if we eat some every day.  Will stay good for 7-10 days in a sealable jar or tupperware.