Homemade Granola: Gems from the Pantry!

Confession: I'm terrible about giving out recipes. My granola recipe was supposed to get passed along to a friend like years ago. She reminded me the other day. And I just happened to have Martha Stewart's February magazine opened to the recipe. Out of guilt I made a batch for to share with her and other moms at our MOPs meeting. Then it turns out, she needed a Granola Bar recipe!

Granola is an easy frugal recipe I learned first from The Tightwad Gazette book. It can be very expensive if you use fancy ingredients. But at the basic level you just need oats, oil and sugar. It's the perfect way to use up baking items in your pantry.

Here is the recipe I used (inspired by Martha Stewart Living Magazine):
3 cups rolled oats (smaller container , store brand is fine)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (canola oil works too)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup regular raisins

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Heat maple syrup, honey, sugar & oil in the microwave one minute to help the sugar dissolve.
3. In a large container, mix all ingredients except Craisins, raisins, & coconut.
4. Spread granola evenly in the biggest rimmed baking sheet you have (or baking pan).
*I sprayed the pan with oil because I was paranoid about it sticking.
5. Bake for 30 mins. Take it out every 10 minutes to stir. The edges get crispy faster.
6. Add the raisins, Craisins and coconut. Cook 10-15 minutes more until crispy.

Save any fruits or chocolate chips until the very end because they can burn quickly. You can also add pepitas (pumpkin seeds), nuts (pecans or walnuts), flax seeds, wheat germ, chocolate chips, and even dry milk powder. Also try other dried fruits like chopped apricots, dates, banana chips- basically whatever you have and like (or what healthy stuff your family would otherwise protest to eat).

Inspired to whip out meals straight from the pantry? See all the recipes at Ultimate Recipe Swap!