A Tightwad Granola Recipe

4-6 ingredients:  Easy homemade granola!

Cereal is crazy expensive.  We are talking around $3.00 a box on average and they have a dozen ingredients that you can't even pronounce.  Almost all of them have high fructose corn syrup, which is a no-no, and what the hell is  tripotassium phosphate?  When you get into the organics section things may get healthier, but they also get pricier.  My kids eat homemade granola.  The cheap version.  You can add wheat germ (which I have done), flax seed (which I have not done) and a whole host of sticks and twigs to make this granola as healthy as you want.  I am posting the scaled down tightwad recipe.  Play with it as you like:

Set oven to 375 degrees
In a roasting pan or baking sheet with sides pour 5 c. regular (not quick) oats,  a pinch of salt, and 1/2 c. nuts (optional)  if you are using wheat germ add 1/4 c.
In a saucepan combine 2/3 c. brown sugar, 2/3 c. canola or vegetable oil, and 1/3 c. honey (here's a tip - use a 1/3 measuring cup and measure out the sugar first, then the oil and then the honey.  The oil will prevent the honey from sticking to the cup.)  Cook until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour honey mixture over the oats and mix to coat the oats.  Bake for 10 minutes, stir, and bake another 10 minutes.  Once the granola is cool add 1/2 c. raisins (cheap) or other dried fruit (not so cheap).

Here are some other options:

Fruit - Nut:  Dried cranberries/pecans, dried apricots/pistachios, dried cherries/hazelnuts, dried blueberries/almonds
Banana-Nut:  Add 1/2 c.  dried banana chips and 1/2 c. chopped walnuts and 1 tsp. cinnamon before baking
Almond Joy:  Add 1/2 c. chopped almonds and 1/2 c. sweetened coconut before baking, add 1/2 c. chocolate chips after granola has cooled.
Tropical:  Add 1/2 c. sweetened coconut and 1/2 c dried mango, pineapple and papaya
Rocky Road:  After granola has cooled add 1/2 c. mini marshmallows and 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Use your creativity and create a granola to suit your taste.  You can also put this in a quart size mason jar and tie it with raffia to make a nice hostess gift!