Maple Granola Recipe

I have always loved homemade granola. When I found this recipe in my Country Living magazine, I thought I would give it a try. I used chopped pecans in place of the other nuts and seeds because it was more readily available to me. I also did not use the corn syrup. The maple syrup alone is sweet enough. I bought my maple syrup in a large bottle from Sam's Club as well as my pecans. I bought the rolled oats from Wal Mart. You can add whatever fruit or nuts you like and serve with milk or yogurt. I like golden raisins. The maple syrup gives this such a buttery rich flavor.

 

U.S.

Metric

• 4 cup(s) rolled oats
• 2 1/2 ounce(s) (about 1/2 cup) dried apricots, chopped
• 2 1/2 ounce(s) (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
• 3 ounce(s) (3/4 cup) almonds, chopped
• 3 ounce(s) (3/4 cup) walnuts, chopped
• 1 1/2 ounce(s) (6 tablespoons) raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 ounce(s) (3 tablespoons) raw unhulled sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil, plus more for pans
• 3/4 cup(s) pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup(s) light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• Yogurt, for serving

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, add first 7 ingredients and toss until combined.
2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining ingredients, except yogurt. Pour over dry ingredients and mix. Spread granola in 2 oiled baking pans. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes, turning granola every 10 minutes. Cool in pans. Break up granola. (Granola can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 weeks.) Serve with yogurt and syrup.

Read more: Maple Granola with Fruit and Nuts Recipe - Country Living

Celebrate!

Tomorrow is a very special day! It is when we celebrate our Savior rising from the grave! There is so much to celebrate. I love that we observe this holy day when spring is just bursting with newness and beauty! It's so easy to praise Him when our hearts are so full of thankfulness to see spring return again in all of it's splendor.

I love this statement by author Max Lucado!

"Why do we do it?  Endure the airports, cram the trunks of our cars and SUV’s?  You know the answer.  We love to be with the ones we love!
It’s the four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of grandpa.  The cup of coffee with mom before the rest of the house awakes.  That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie!
We love to be with the ones we love.
May I remind you?  So does God.  He loves to be with the ones He loves.  How else do you explain what He did?  Between him and us there was a distance—a great span.  And he couldn’t bear it.  So he did something about it.

He gave up his place—and made himself—nothing!  He did it for you and me."

Speaking of children. Here is a book from 1939 that I love and that I loved sharing with my children.

 It is the sweet story of a mother bunny who has 21 well-behaved children. They each have a special job to do in their family. Mother bunny gets chosen to be an official Easter Bunny who has to deliver baskets to children everywhere. Not only is she fast, she is also wise. 

This charming and sweet story is beautifully illustrated and tells a tale of hard work and determination and self-sacrifice. 

Mother Bunny has a very special job and a difficult job to do. She has to deliver a very beautiful egg to a sick baby. If you have never read this story, please do.

I hope you have a lovely day with your family. My family will be a bit scattered this year but in our hearts we will be together. Whenever I see sweet little baby animals, I think of my dear Grandmother, who always loved me to send her Easter cards with adorable baby bunnies on them. 

I hope you have a sweet day and that your heart reaches up to thank Jesus for what He did JUST FOR YOU!