Homemade Granola
The recipes and text are from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten. Excerpted by permission from Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. 1999
Photographs by Melanie Acevedo

This is the best granola. It was inspired by the delicious granola in Sarah Chase's Open House Cookbook. I started with her recipe and then added dried apricots, dried cherries, dried cranberries, and roasted cashews. I love it sprinkled over yogurt and berries, but in a bowl with cold milk, it's just fine, too.
Adapted by StarChefs

Note: Greasing the surface of the muffin pan will make it easier to take the muffins out. Also, this batter can be made a day ahead, and scooped and baked before breakfast.

Yield: 12 cups

Ingredients:

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup good honey
• 1 1/2 cups small-diced dried apricots
• 1 cup small-diced dried figs
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13x18-inch baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, around 45 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.