Honey Nut Granola

Love homemade granola, it's delicious and cheaper than store bought, you can make a huge batch AND the combinations of ingredients is endless.

This one comes from Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cover Cookbook.

I changed it up according to our tastes, so used maple syrup, chocolate chips instead of nuts, and added some tropical fruit at the end.

Honey Nut Granola

6 cups old-fashioned or quick oats
2 cup chopped nuts, any kind
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup honey or maple syrup
2 cups dried cranberies, raisins or chopped dates

Preheat oven to 325 F.  In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon and salt.  In a small cup, heat honey or maple syrup in microwave just until warm.  Fold honey or maple syrup in oat mixture, stirring to coat well.

Evenly spread granola on two large, rimmed baking sheets.  Place in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, carefully stirring granola often so it doesn't burn.  Rotate pans after stirring.  Granola is done when it seems lightly browned, mostly dry and no longer sticky.

Let granola cool 15 minutes on baking sheets;  pour into large bowl.  Stir in dried fruit.  Press mixture into bowl with back of a spoon;  this will form some clumps.  Let cool completely before sealing into an airtight container.