Homemade Granola

I've tried a lot of homemade granola recipes in my time. Most of them were not very good. This recipe is a combination of my neighbor's recipe which she gave out at Christmas, and I got the powdered milk idea from We Eat. I really like both recipes on their own, but I need all the extra calcium I can get and I have a sweet tooth too (We Eat's has no sugar so it's not quite as crunchy)...so I prefer this combo. If you don't have powdered milk, well, maybe your mom will go pack some for you at the cannery for your birthday. Mine did!

4 C rolled oats
1 C wheat germ (I was out today so I didn't use it--I buy it from The Good Earth)
1/3 C powdered milk
1/4 C brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/4 salt
1 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C chopped almonds
1/4 C roasted sunflower seeds (if salted, omit the salt in the recipe)
1/4 C whatever nuts...today I did pine nuts, other times I might mix walnuts and pecans. . .

1/3 C vegetable oil (you might try doing half olive oil if you like but I don't like canola)
1/3 C honey
1/3 C water

1 C dried fruit (I like craisins and golden raisins, or just raisins will do)

Stir dry ingredients until well mixed. Combine wet. Fold in the wet ingredients until combined. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes. I don't stir until the last five or ten minutes so that it doesn't stick to the pan, but gets clumps of crunchy goodness. Let cool completely, add the dried fruit.

Y-U-M.

Roasted Vegetable & Orzo Salad

Vegetables:
4-6 smallish zucchini
yellow, red and orange peppers (1 of each)
1 red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/3 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

chop vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 for 40-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo (1 lb.)

Toss cooked vegetables and orzo together with:

Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp pepper

drizzle over salad and add:

1/2 c toasted pine nuts
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
15 fresh basil leaves - chopped.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Dear Friends,

I'm sorry I haven't been a good recipe blogger.

Love,

Jayne

P.S. Katie is worse.