Granola is never a bad idea.

I’ve been making homemade granola for many many years. It’s never the same recipe twice, and some batches turn out better than others. The other day, Abby sent me a Tik Tok with an interesting sounding granola, I tweaked it and made what I think is my best batch yet.

Both of my grandmother’s and my mother were great cooks, however I don’t have any of their recipes. For the most part, I cook like they do, by feel, taste and texture. One of the fun things that’s happened since the girls moved out is they now call me frequently to ask “Mom, how do I make your dressing, cauliflower, quinoa, pizza…” It’s a fun touchpoint for us. I’m enjoying blogging about my recipes, as it helps me write down some of my favorite recipes.

Here’s my recipe for granola, you don’t have to be exact, and the great thing about making granola is you can really add almost anything as a mix-in. What I liked about this recipe is the orange zest infused coconut oil which adds an incredible flavor.

Zest 2 large oranges, combine with 1/2 C. coconut oil to a leftover glass jar with a lid ( if you use a Tupperware, the orange flavor may never come clean). You can use a canola or other type of oil if you’d like too. Let infuse overnight if you can. Add infused oil and zest to a small pan and add 1/2 C. brown sugar, 1/2 C. maple syrup, and 1 tsp. cinnamon or apple pie spice. Heat over medium heat until sugar has melted. Preheat oven to 225 and line a cookie sheet with a Silpat mat. In a large bowl, add 4 C. old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 C. shredded coconut, 1/2 C. sunflower seeds and 1/4 C. toasted pecan pieces and 1 Tbs. orange blossom extract. I have also used toasted walnut pieces, raw cashew pieces or toasted hazelnut pieces, all are delicious. You do not have to be exact in any of these measurements, it will still be delicious. Add coconut oil mixture to bowl and stir thoroughly to combine. Place in a flat layer on Silpat lined cookie sheet and bake for 45–50 minutes stirring halfway through. Turn oven off, and add 1 C. dried fruit, I used a combination of dried blueberries and golden raisins. Dried cranberries, cherries, strawberries, even diced apricot are great in here. Make sure not to add the dried fruit while the granola is still cooking as it will get too hard. Let granola cool in the oven and store in an airtight container. It will last weeks, but it really won’t because you will eat it all!

I don’t love breakfast, I never have. Growing up, I preferred leftovers from dinner to traditional breakfast food. I guess it’s because I never loved eggs. If you know me, you know my scrambled egg story. If you don’t know me and want to hear the story, comment and I’ll share it. Over the years, I’ve learned to like breakfast foods and since moving here, have been enjoying a concoction of plain Greek yogurt mixed with a spoonful of lemon curd, some fresh berries and a sprinkle of granola for breakfast. The lemon curd is tart and a delicious addition to Greek yogurt.