My first attempt making homemade granola was guided by this recipe. I liked the idea of using mashed fruit in place of oil. (I had figs on hand, so I used those in place of dates and added more brown sugar.) Since I had enough for two batches, I baked the first batch as written. The granola browned on the edges but seemed to be getting hard not crispy. There's a difference. For the second batch, I simply mixed in 1/4 cup of canola oil and baked it at 275, checking on it every 10 min. It turned a rich brown color and was crispy and perfect!

Reviewed On: Jan. 15, 2009

This is my first review and I just had to share my love for this spread. It was so easy to make - I happened to have a lot of fresh dill that I wanted to use up waste and cream cheese. I added lemon zest and also added more lemon at the end. Didn't use the smoke. The spread is great on crackers, a toasted bagel. I look forward to serving this at my upcoming party with some raw veggies!

Reviewed On: Dec. 10, 2008