Medford Oats

Somehow over the years, there have been some of my childhood favorite recipes that I have never gotten from mother, don't ask me how.  One is her homemade spaghetti sauce, and another is her homemade granola.  I asked for both this weekend and made up a batch of the granola today, thanks to a shopping run Val made for me while I was housebound with a puker.

This is incredibly easy, so delicious, and has to be healthier and cheaper than store bought.  I personally eat mine for breakfast with orange juice instead of milk, which I had Jake try today and he loved it!  The original recipe was  created by a woman from Medford and was featured in an issue of Sunset Magazine.

Ingredients

• 8 cups regular rolled oats
• 1-1/2 C. wheat germ
• 1-1/2 C firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large package (8 oz) shredded coconut
• 1-1/2 C. sunflower seeds
• 1/2 C. vegetable oil
• 2 t. vanilla
• ¾ C. honey

Directions

• In large bowl, stir together oats, wheat germ, sugar, coconut, and seeds. Set aside.
• In small pan over medium heat, combine oil, honey, and vanilla. Cook, stirring, until bubbly. Pour over oat mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Grease two 10x15 (or larger) rimmed baking pans (or use silicon or parchment). Spread mixture evenly in pans. 
• Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring two or three times, or until coconut is lightly browned.
• Stir granola in pans several times while cooling (otherwise it clumps). Let cool thoroughly, then stir in dried fruit if using. 
• Store in airtight container.