Homemade Granola

I have to admit, I haven't been this excited about a recipe in awhile. So excited, in fact, that I have tested it a number of times over the past few weeks in order to make sure it is the best it can be. If you have never tried homemade granola, you should. It is definitely different than the hard, crunchy stuff that's been sitting on your grocer's shelf for who knows how long. The texture is softer and the taste is fresher. Plus, another nice aspect of this recipe is that you can substitute other fruits or nuts if you want. You might even want to try adding mini chocolate chips once it cools. Also, when I am making it just for me, I cut the recipe in half. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have...

Cinnamon Raisin Pecan Granola

Ingredients

* 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
* 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
* 2 cups chopped pecans
* 1 1/2 cups raisins
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup good honey
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, and pecans together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 15 mins. Add the raisins at the end and stir. Cook 5 mins longer but watch that it doesn't burn. You want it to turn a light brown.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Keep in mind that it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the oven. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.