# Granola



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

We just spent a large part of the day making granola, we used oats, coconut, chopped nuts, peanut butter and ribbon cane syrup. 

When I thought about putting dried fruit in it but came up with an idea that sounds good on paper but .... How about using fruit preserves(home made in my case) to replace part of the syrup? All the preserves are are fruit and sugar.

Strawberry flavored granola sounds like it may be ok, any comments or ideas?


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

I always put dried fruit in mine along with honey, sesame seeds, flax seed, nuts and pretty much what you have put in it. Although, I have never thought of peanut butter. How does that turn out with the pb?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

The PB works pretty well, It has a very peanutty flavor, If you want to get an idea of how it tastes before you make some, You can find some of the commercial granolas that have it in them. Its pretty good.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I just finished with the last oven full of granola, I made three recipe batches, two with the "Ribbon Cane Syrup" and 1 with Strawberry Preserves. My recipe is as follows:

Granola

3 42 oz Boxs Old Fashioned Oats
2 18 oz Jars Crunchy Peanut Butter
12 ozs Sweetened Shreaded Coconut
6 ozs Sliced/Slivered Almonds
2 quarts Fruit Preserves, Honey or Heavy Dark Syrup
1/2 Cup Canola Oil

Pour the oats into a large bin and add the Shreaded Coconun, Almonds
and mix thoroughly.

Pour the Preserves, Honey or Heavy Dark Syrup into a large pan and add the Peanut Butter and Canola Oil then allow to warm over a low heat until the peanut butter can be melted and mixed completely into the syrup.

Pour the syrup/peanut butter/oil mixture onto the oat mixture and mix completely then let stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool enough that you will not get burned handling it.

Place the wet granola into shallow even layers in baking pans and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour or until the granola is done, every 15 - 20 minutes or so open the oven and stir the pans. 

The granola will be golden colored and it may still be "tacky" to the touch when removed from the oven but it will harden and dry as it cools. DO NOT BURN it. Its kinda like burnt popcorn, can never get the smell out of your kitchen.

If it is still moist after it cools put it back into the oven, reheat it and recheck.

This is the first time I tried using preserves in the recipe and was kinda surprised. I was expecting a pretty robust and pronounced strawberry overtone but it came out with just a hint of strawberry, Pretty Good.

The three recipe batches completely fills 2 5 gallon buckets.


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

gonna try this. Thanks


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

Thanks. That looks pretty good. how long do you think it will keep?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I dont know how long it will keep yet, I am guessing that properly packed, I should not have to worry about it for at lest 5 years and that is only because I used the nuts and peanut butter. 

With the granola, I will keep a bucket in the kitchen and we will eat from it and replace it as each bucket is emptied so I really dont think that we will ever hit the 5 year mark before it is gone and replaced. 

If one was to make a batch without nuts or peanut butter it would probably tend to keep longer. Nuts can go rancid after they are exposed to the air for any length of time. I didnt think of that until I was packing it into the buckets.

Did a price tally, the 2 - 5 gallon buckets of granola cost a grand total of $47.48, minus the 2 quarts of home made strawberry preserves and the energy it cost to make it. Not real cheap but quite a bit less(and better tasting) than buying the end product.


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