Edible Homemade-Holiday Gift

Give a Gift from the Kitchen

A gift from the kitchen is always welcome at this time of year.  What could be better than a beautifully packaged container of homemade granola?  This granola is better than anything you can buy from the grocery store, it is relatively easy to make and it is absolutely delicious spooned over yogurt or eaten straight from the jar! 

You will need to make your way to your favorite cooking store.  For me, that means a quick walk to - 

The Concord Shop which is the place to buy your kitchen essentials.  There, I find great canning jars and sweet little scoops to tie onto my finished gifts.  The famous Concord Shop is the one place I can count on to have exactly what I am looking for.

Dried Fruit to be mixed into Granola

Gather your ingredients, turn up your holiday tunes and get ready to bake some delicious granola to give and to keep.

You will need:

1 lb. old fashioned oats ( I use Quaker Oats)

1 c. shredded coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)

1/2 c. slivered almonds and 1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. sesame seeds and 1/2 c. wheat germ

1/4 c. light brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 c. safflower oil

1/2 c. honey

1/3 c. water

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. dried bing cherries

1/2 c. chopped dried apricots

(you can substitute whatever nuts that you prefer in your granola and you can add or subtract any type of dried fruit.  It is up to you and your taste buds!)

How to:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl toss together: oats, coconut, almonds, sesame seeds, wheat germ, brown sugar and salt.

In a separate bowl whisk together: oil, honey, water and vanilla.

Stir wet ingredients into dry mixture.

Spread granola on to rimmed baking sheets.

Bake for 15 mins and take out of oven to stir granola and sprinkle on chopped pecans. 

Return pans to oven changing the rack position of your two baking sheets.

Bake for another 15 mins and stir the granola and change rack position of your baking sheets.

Bake for another 5 - 10 minutes depending upon how hot your oven is.

(once the granola is looking golden in color, you can remove from oven)

Mix in dry fruit once granola comes out of oven

Take baking sheets out of oven and mix in your chopped dried fruit.  Stir the granola and allow it to cool on the baking sheets.

Granola ready for packaging

Once your granola has cooled, scoop it into your canning jars or plastic bags. At this point, you can pull out the yogurt and scoop some granola on top and have yourself a well deserved snack break. 

Ellen's granola packed with Nelley Kelley gift tags

Tie a small scoop to the jar and add a little gift tag tied on with some twine or some ribbon and you've got yourself a wonderful gift that is sure to be a hit.  The granola will stay fresh in it's container for approximately one month from the date it is made. It is delicious spooned over yogurt or ice cream, great with cold milk in a cereal bowl or just eaten out of hand as a snack. For an added gift, print out the recipe onto a little card and tie it onto the granola gift jar. 

Enjoy and make some extra for yourself!

see you soon,

Ellen