Mom's Granola

I have been enjoying my mom's granola recipe for as long as I was allowed to eat nuts, but I never made it for myself. In college, I ate a steady breakfast diet of boxed cereal and yogurt, but after graduating I switched to toast, oatmeal, or smoothies. Part of the reason is the strange processed ingredients in boxed cereal. It doesn't seem like a good idea to put that into your body first thing in the morning (although I would eat Kashi Go-Lean Crunch in desperate times).

Ingredients:
4 cups oats
1 cup sesame seeds (optional, good but stick in teeth) Haven't used them!
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup bran
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup peanuts, cashews, almonds, or walnuts

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup of honey (recipe calls for 1/2 but I usually use 1/3) Agree with Mom, 1/3 is enough
1/3 cup powedered milk- I haven't used this and it still tastes good.
2 tsp. vanilla (optional - I usually forget to add this, still tastes good)

In a large bowl, mix oats, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, bran, wheat germ, and your choice of nuts.

In a small sauce pan, heat oil, honey, powdered milk (if using), and vanilla. Heat on medium low until honey and oil become one!

Pour warm mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Spread evenly on baking sheets or pans.

Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring a few times. Leave it in the oven longer if you like crunchy granola (20 minutes works pretty well for me).

Remove from oven and cool.

Mix in 1 cup of dry fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries, blueberries... etc).