Granola and Yogurt

I make granola (Jason). I love granola (Jason and Shana). I eat granola every single morning for breakfast (Shana). I make a lot of granola (Jason). {can you see where this is going?} Making granola is super easy and really quite good for you, especially the way that I make it (Jason). I still love to eat a lot of granola every single morning, with the yogurt that Jason makes (Shana). I am liking to make granola less and less (Jason). I want more and more granola and yogurt (Shana). I like to have really really perfect oatmeal in the morning - recipe to follow (Jason). But, then, where is my beloved granola (Shana)? {you get the picture!}

Well, I (Jason) came home to witness this:

That's my honey! That's my wife! And that, my friends, is granola! I didn't take a picture, but there was also raw milk yogurt being made behind us on the counter (process for that to follow as well). And, truth and beauty and food fans, the granola is AMAZING! So, as witnessed by you all, right here, right now, I, jason s frishman, do hereby declare Shana M Witkin to be the grand goddess of granola!! It's so freaking good, i tell you. (Right Becky?)

The recipe that she used is taken directly from a wonderful cookbook called, "Made from Scratch: Daily Bread Bakery and Cafe, Richmond, Vermont" by Betsy Bott. This is the cafe that Shana loved dearly and misses incredibly, since it went out of business. But its cookbook and granola live on in our house! The recipe:

11 cups rolled oats 3 3/4 cups wheat flakes (optional)
2 1/4 cups cashews 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 1/2 cups coconut (optional) 1 cup oil, safflower or sunflower
1 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup barley malt
1 teaspoon vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees. stir together oats, wheat flakes, cashews, bran and coconut in a large bowl. Stir in oil, syrup, barley malt and vanilla in a separate bowl or measuring cup. add liquids to dry and stir just to moisten. you don't want to break up the oats too much or you will have a powdery end product. generously oil baking pans and spread cereal about 1 inch deep. use as many pans as you need, depending upon their size. bake 10 minutes. remove from oven and mix cereal. try to get all of the corners and to get the bottom stirred around. return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. stir again. return and check after 5 minutes. take out when all is light brown and feels just slightly damp to the touch. cool completely, stirring every once in a while. store in tightly lidded container. if you don't go through it quickly, a portion may be frozen.

(Jason's note: i have officially passed the granola making duty on to shana and this batch is Perfect. But, as some of you know, i can never just shut up and be quiet about something. So, i just want to add some thoughts about making the granola a bit healthier - not better, healthier:
Add almonds and/or walnuts. Add lots of dried fruit. add ground flax seed. add a little bit of soy flour. add wheat germ. that's about it, like i said, this is really perfect granola!)

granola is NOT just for hippies. got it?