4/30/2008

Day 14: Granola, the holy grail of breakfast foods















I once had the best granola ever made. It happened many years ago when I was traipsing about Scotland, taking pictures of mustard fields and old ruins. I'm not sure if it was at a B&B or at the Edinburgh home of my pen-pal. All my memory tells me is that there was some really, really good granola and I ate it. I wish I had thought to ask about a recipe or brand or something. Guess I just figured it was some unattainable European thing.

I've been trying to reproduce the just-rightness of that recipe ever since. Granola recipes are all pretty much variations on the same old theme and while most I've tried are good they just can't come close to that memory in my head. But, you know how memories can be.

I recently tried out this recipe a couple times. It was good and of course the additions can make all the difference but there's something about the consistency of the oats themselves that I can't seem to get right.

Anyone have any favorite granola recipes or ideas?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

No good granola recipes but have I mentioned how much I HATE DIETING??? I think granola is diet-friendly, if you find a good recipe, let me know.

ljm said...

Yeah, I know...that's the problem with granola. It's pretty calorie heavy I think although I'm sure it varies.

Anonymous said...

Here's the granola recipe that I grew up eating and I think it's very tasty. The only drawback is the cost of maple syrup... and the amount of cereal that we eat these days. Also, if I could change anything, I think it would have clumps in it, but perhaps that's just me.
Here it is, rendered rather loosely:
12 cups rolled oats
2 cups bran
1 cup oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups maple syrup, depending on how delectable you want the final product.
sunflower seeds, coconut or nuts if you like
Mix all ingredients. Bake in two cookie sheets at 250 degree oven for one hour, stirring every 15 or 20 minutes. ( granola should seem dry by the end of the hour. )EnjoY!
We like this best when mixed with a less dense cereal-- even something as blah as cornflakes complements nicely the richness and chew factor of the granola.

kw said...

funny you should mention it...eating granola as we speak. And they don't make it the same over here-also call it meusli-they don't add oil and honey and bake it the way I'm used to...f

kw said...

funny got cut off at the end:)

ljm said...

Thank you Ruth! I'm going to try that. I like the clumps too but I'm not sure how to make that happen.

KW--I think what I had and loved over there was muesli actually (is it muesli or meusli?)...do they use maple syrup for sweetener?

lis said...

You want clumps? You can get them by mixing half rolled and half quick oats, and then pressing the granola down a little when you put it in the pan to bake.

For sweetening, I dissolve about two cups of natural sugar in a cup of boiling-ish water and add a teaspoon of vanilla. (This is for 16 cups of oatmeal, along with a cup of oil and a teaspoon of salt). Probably there's no way it's as good as maple syrup (or honey, per Lorraine M's fabulous recipe), but it's still quite tasty, and much easier on the budget.

lis said...

Oh yes: no stirring if you want clumps. And my recipe takes longer to bake than Ruth's. Granola shouldn't be browned, really, just dry.

ljm said...

Thank you, Lisa!

Anonymous said...

Here's my granola recipe that I've made for Mr B for many years.
9 cups oatmeal, half regular, half quick cooking
2 cups raw bran flakes
1 cup ground flax seed (a recent addition that's really good for you)
chopped walnuts, as much as you like
3/4 cup honey warmed in the microwave so it's thin
1/3 cup oil
Mix well then spread in two greased cookie sheets, and place in 250 degree oven,stirring occasionally until golden. When cool can add raisins or other chopped dried fruit.
Love to you, HB

kw said...

not sure what they add to muesli-think that's the spelling, but we must have had different kinds bec
the kind I've had is way too healthy probably...yuck..doesn't taste sweet and is too dry...

ljm said...

Thanks Mrs. B! Looks like another good one and I like the flax seed addition...although it makes me suspicious...are you trying to poison Mr. B?!