Granola

This is my best recipe for granola. I've adjusted it just the way we like it. It's a little time consuming, but well worth the result. I keep ours in the freezer and we eat it for breakfast with berries and yogurt almost daily.

10 c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat germ
½ lb. shredded coconut
1 c. sunflower seeds
3 c. almonds, pecans, walnuts or combination, chopped
1 ½ c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ½ c. water
1 ¼ c. oil
1 c. honey
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. vanilla

In large bowl combine oats, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds and nuts. Blend well. In saucepan, combine remaining syrup ingredients. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over dry ingredients and stir until well-coated. Pour onto 5 cookie sheets. Bake until golden brown (20-30 min), stirring occasionally. (I usually bake 2 sheets and one time and rotate/stir them about every 10 minutes) Cool. (I've also found if you like chunky pieces, you need to let it cool completely on the cookie sheet). Put in airtight containers and store in a cool, dry place