My homemade granola

I really like granola, but I never ate it very often because it was 1. expensive to buy and 2. expensive to make (so I thought) and 3. calorific.

1. It is expensive. The local bakery sells it to take home for around $9 a quart.
2. My brother used to have my mom make (doesn't that sound terrible) this granola recipe that must've cost like $30. I don't know what was in there, but it was ridiculous, so I assumed all granola would be really expensive to make. But, don't we all know what happens when you assume? I think we do; thank you Oscar Wilde. It's really not that expensive to make unless you just have to have cold-pressed jojoba oil and exotic whatever. Go to the grocery, get some stuff, put it in there, it'll work.
3. True. This is an energy food. It does not, however, have to have as many calories or as much fat as the stuff you usually buy at the store or the local bakery.

Here's where I started my granola-making journey (another Mississippi girl, yay!). She is a friend of a friend, and I like her granola recipe as a base. I've changed things up a bit though. This is how I make mine:

Ingredients:

The dry

• 3 heaping cups rolled oats (quick, instant, old-fashioned...whatever)
• 1 1/4 cup of a mixture in whatever proportion of wheat germ, wheat bran, whole wheat flour and flax seeds (or some extra oats)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or sliced)

The wet*

• 5 heaping spoonfuls brown sugar (like smallish-sized spoons you eat with)
• 3 spoonfuls honey
• 3 shakes cinnamon
• 1 shake each nutmeg, allspice, cloves (more or less or none depending on what you like)
• big dash salt
• 1 spoonful vanilla extract
• 1 spoonful almond extract
• 3-6 spoonfuls warm water, to make thick but stir-able liquid
• 1-2 spoonfuls vegetable oil

The not-listed-yet-so-you-don't-cook-them

• dried raisins (1/4-1/3 cup)
• dried cranberries (1/4 cup)

Steps:

1. combine (in large bowl) The dry
2. combine (in separate, smaller bowl) The wet. add water until you have a thick, syrupy liquid
3. add The wet to The dry
4. stir stir stir
5. turn oven on to 325 (don't worry about preheating)
6. line jelly-roll (1/2 sheet) pan with parchment or foil + spray
7. pour uncooked granola onto pan and stick it in the oven
8. set timer for 18 minutes, but be ready to check it
9. granola is done when it's about a shade darker than it was when it went in and smells fragrant
10. wait for it to cool a bit and then add the dried fruit
11. place in large, airtight container and store in the freezer for best (crispiest) results

Notes:

• *I know some of those aren't actually wet, you can really add them to either, but I like to put them with The wet.
• this will burn quickly. when you even think it's done, it is. take it out.
• it will harden as it cools; don't worry if it does't seem crispy when you remove it

I hope you enjoy this recipe, I really do. It's forgiving; don't be afraid to play with it.