Apricot Granola

Every home cook has a nemesis - that one dish that irks them to no extent, that never comes out properly, that they can never master. Granola is mine. Yes, I know. Granola is so simple, so ubiquitous and yet despite literally dozens of attempts, I can't seem to get it right. Sometimes the granola burns, sometimes it comes out of the oven and is glued together like a granola bar. Sometimes it seems to have no taste because for fear of burning, I pull it out of the oven too soon.


But after three weeks of granola research, I'm ready to unveil the results. First, I just have to trust my instincts and pull the granola out of the oven when the oats are one shade darker than their natural color. For me, this was about 17-18 minutes in the oven, far less than other recipes call for. I also found that turning the granola often (every 5 minutes) with a spatula helped to ensure that it browned evenly and didn't burn. This strategy also helped to keep the granola from clumping.

Granola is so common these days - but it's often overly sweet, expensive and full of fat so there really is no excuse not to make your own! My recipe is really simple and includes the ingredients that I like - almonds, honey, and apricots- but you can substitute in virtually any nut or addition.

One nemesis down....now if I can only get those poached eggs to come out right the first time around.

Apricot Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dried apricots, diced

Pre-heat the oven to 325. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except for the apricots. Stir until combined. Spread on baking sheet and shake pan until the granola is in an even layer. Bake for about 17-18 minutes until the granola has turned golden. Be sure to turn the granola over with a spatula every 5 minutes. Allow granola to cool in pan on a rack. Once cool, mix in fruit (this is important - don't add the fruit until the granola is cool or else it gets dry and hard.) Keep granola in an airtight container or like I do, in a ziplock for up to a week.