Racetrack Granola

('Racetrack' because the little boys had assembled one in my kitchen, which I had to step over about 12 times as I attempted to make this. All the while, listening to "Go! Go! Go!" and "Cool!" and "Awwwww yeah!" So there you have it . . . Racetrack Granola.)

4 c. old-fashioned oats
1½ c. sliced almonds
½ c. packed light brown sugar
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
¼ c. oil
¼ c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1½ c. raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In a saucepan, warm the oil and honey. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. Spread granola in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Transfer granola-filled pan to a rack; cool completely. Stir in raisins or dried cranberries. Seal granola in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for one week or in a freezer for three months.

Yield: 6 cups

Good stuff.

If you have any left after it cools - because we eat it and eat it and eat it before it ever comes off the baking sheet - it's good as cereal w/ milk . . with vanilla yogurt . . or by itself in a baggie to be eaten as you watch your boy dig for worms at ball practice.

My Story: So here's the Ractrack Granola, in the cereal box on the right. I'm showing this picture because I have a good Mommy Tip to go with it. Stickers on your cereal boxes.
Rather than the . . . .

"What cereal do you want?"

"Dat one."

"This one?"

"No. DAT one."

"This one?"

"DAT ONE!"

. . . conversation, put your cereal in plastic boxes and label them with some type of stickers that your child can describe - letters, numbers, animals, cartoon characters - something that they know and can say. So the new conversation . . .

"Which cereal would you like precious angel?"

"I'd like the bunny cereal you clever Mommy you."

"Coming right up, dear."