I have had an obsession with granola since I was a mere school girl.  I baked batch after batch, when I was a teenager, trying to perfect the recipe. I would nibble on it warm, right from the oven, my ultimate comfort food. Each bite was a complicated marriage of chewy coconut strands, pecan pieces, toasted oats, and bursts of sweetness from the dried fruit; to my way of thinking, it was a match made in heaven. 

I am no longer a school girl, but I still enjoy creating this cereal. When my children were small, and would stumble downstairs in the morning, wiping the sleepy crumbs from their eyes, I would tell them, "Stop! Save those crumbs; I am collecting them in a jar for a new granola recipe." There would be groans of, "Mooooooom!" I enjoy gifting bags of granola almost as much as I like to eat it myself. The past few years, I have yearned for a granola with more chunks, since I am a texture kind of gal. Recently, I discovered the secret to perfect granola, thanks to Aysegul Sanford, and her Foolproof Living blog. I have adapted her recipe to my own tastes, but the technique of compressing and compacting the raw mixture onto the baking sheet is a winner. It provides the right amount of chunks, almost like you are eating mini granola bars in your bowl of milk. I feel like you will need a batch yourself very soon. 

Homemade Granola

5 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1 heaping c. coconut flakes

2 c. chopped nuts of your choice (I used 1 cup of sliced almonds and 1 cup walnuts)

1/2 c. sunflower seeds (toasted or raw)

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. maple syrup

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1-2 c. mixed dried fruit of your choice (I used golden raisins, cranberries and chopped apricots)

Line the bottom of a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x2 inches) with parchment paper, for easy clean-up. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla. If you measure out the oil before the syrup in your measuring cup, the maple syrup will slide out easily. In another bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, and chopped nuts; add this mixture to the liquid and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared pan, spreading and leveling with a large spoon. Using a measuring cup or bowl that has a flat bottom, press down firmly all over the mixture, until it is very compact. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool for an hour. Carefully break into pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the dried fruit and gently stir to combine, being careful not to break up all those glorious chunks. If you can stand to part with any of it, give some away to your favorite people. Makes about 9 cups. Store in airtight container.