Great Granola

2 cups Old-fashioned Oats
½ cup Wheat Germ
2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
¼ tsp Salt
¼ cup Maple Syrup
3 Tbsp flavorless cooking oil, such as Vegetable or Canola
1 Tbsp Water
1 cup Extra Ingredients (see complete list below)
Flavoring (see below)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, then set aside.

2. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt and Extra Ingredients--except dried fruit--in a bowl. Bring syrup, oil, water and any Flavoring indicated below to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine.

3. Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit and continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool. (Granola can be stored in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.) Makes one quart.

You can double the recipe, but bake the granola in two pans. You also may need to increase cooking time. The key is to bake the granola until it is an impressive golden brown.

• Classic Granola
  
  Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
  Flavoring: ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  
• Crunchy Granola
  
  You can replace the ¼ cup of maple syrup with 2 Tbsp each of maple syrup and molasses.
  Extra Ingredients: ¼ cup slivered almonds, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, 6 Tbsp currants
  Flavoring: none
  
  
• Granola with Tropical Flavoring
  
  Add the coconut along with the cashews and banana chips.
  Extra Ingredients: ¼ cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews, ¼ cup chopped banana chips, ¼ cup sweetened flake coconut, ¼ cup chopped dried pineapple
  Flavoring: ½ tsp ground ginger
  
  
• Granola with Cherries and Almonds
  
  Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries
  Flavoring: ¾ tsp almond extract
  
• Trail Mix Granola
  
  Extra Ingredients: ¼ cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, ¼ cup sweetened flake coconut, ¼ cup dark or golden raisins, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips*
  Flavoring: none
  *Note: Stir chips into the granola only after it has completely cooled
• Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans
  
  Extra Ingredients: ½ cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup dried blueberries
  Flavoring: ½ tsp finely grated orange zest
  
• Pear Granola with Hazelnuts and Vanilla
  
  Extra Ingredients: ½ cup chopped hazelnuts, ¼ cup chopped dried cherries, ¼ cup chopped dried pears
  Flavoring: 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangos and Dates
  
  Extra Ingredients: ½ cup chopped roasted pistachios, ¼ cup chopped dates, ¼ cup chopped dried mangos
  Flavoring: ½ tsp finely grated orange zest and ¼ tsp allspice
  

Copyright 2005 USA Weekend and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.