Courtney's Favorite Granola

There's something about crunch.  Is it the sound?  The satisfaction we get from chomping down with our teeth into the armor of a crispy little nugget of goodness?  I can't say for sure, but I can say that this granola sates my otherwise endless craving for crunchiness.  Oh, and like all good things, it's sweet!

From a little Internet researching, a little cookbook sleuthing, I came up with this recipe, pretty much the first recipe I have ever created "on my own." It can easily become "your favorite granola" simply by customizing it: keep the ratios of the liquids and dry ingredients the same and you really can't go wrong.  One word of caution: watch this stuff like a hawk in about the last ten minutes of baking, because that's when it tends to get moody, and say, "I'm going to burn if I want to, and you can't stop me."  Otherwise, smooth sailing, and happy mouths.

Courtney's Favorite Granola
Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Mix dry ingredients:
3 cups oats
1 cup of walnuts (or almonds, or any other nut you like)
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Mix wet ingredients and spices
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 TB vegetable oil
2 tsp cinnamon (or 1 each of cinnamon and nutmeg for a Christmas-y feel)
1 tsp vanilla, almond, or maple extract
1/2 c applesauce (I use sugar-free)
2-4 TB brown sugar

Incorporate mixed wet ingredients into mixed dry ingredients.  Sprinkle with a dash of salt.  Spread mixture on a greased jelly roll/roasting pan.  Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring after about 20 minutes.  After baking, allow granola to rest in pan for about 5 minutes to finish baking completely.  Spread granola onto a sheet of foil paper or a different pan to finish cooling completely.  Mix in dried fruit if desired (I like dried cranberries, dried apple slices, or raisins).  Store in airtight container for about a week, or in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to a month or two (not sure how long it lasts to be honest, because I eat it pretty quickly, but this seems to be the general consensus among other granola bakers).