Miss and hit

I love breakfast - it is, without a doubt, my favorite meal of the day. I am a fan of eggs, cooked on their own or with veggies,meats and/or cheeses, breads and preserves of all varieties, fresh fruit, baked goods, potatoes, salty meats, yogourts, cereals and most other breakfast-type foods. Most days I am famished when I awake and I am ALWAYS ready for a delicious and filling meal.
This morning, like any other, I woke up hungry for breakfast. I had baked some carrot apple flax muffins last night and I was anxious to try them. (The recipe for the muffin had come from the Allrecipes website - a source I have found to be unreliable in the past). Sadly, the muffin, despite it high ratings by close to 70 reviewers and it's seemingly solid ingredient list, was another dud. So, after forcing down the muffin, I tossed the remaining 11 and told myself, once again, that I was finished with Allrecipes.

After my muffin disappointment, I decided that it was best to stick to tried and true breakfast foods for the rest of the week. Having, temporarily, lost my appetite for quick breads, I opted to prepare a batch of my favorite granola. Should you decide to prepare it, I hope that you find this recipe as satisfying and reliable as I do.

Great Granola

My original inspiration for this recipe came from The Girl Can't Cook by Cinda Chavich. Though my recipe does not look much like Cinda's anymore, I credit her with helping me to create the PERFECT granola.
Those preparing this recipe should note my granola is quite sweet as I always mix it with plain, unsweetened yogourt, a touch of milk and chopped fresh fruit. If you prefer a less-sweet granola cut back on the brown sugar. This recipe makes ALOT of granola. Though you could half or quarter the recipe, I recommend making a full batch and freezing portions of it. It freezes wonderfully, defrosts quickly, and just may save you from going hungry some morning if you, too, are faced with a culinary disappointment.

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliverved almonds
1 cup shelled, raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of two oranges
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sultana raisins
1 cup chopped, dried apricots

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large bowl combine the oats, wheat germ, coconut, pecans, almonds, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan heat the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt to almost boiling over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, then drizzle over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Spread the granola in a thin layer over two parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until golden (watch the granola carefully so that it does not burn!). Once cooked, remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Combine the dried friuts in a large bowl. Scrub, dry and zest the oranges, then toss the zest with the dried fruits. Mix the zest and dried fruits with the cooled granola.
This granola can be stored in a jar in a cool place for up to two weeks, or it can be frozen. If using from frozen, allow to defrost at room temperature for several hours before using.