Food Friday: Granola

One of the blogs I read posted a link to a granola recipe last week. I had tried making granola a few time before, but never with results that I really loved. Somehow I felt like it was time to give it another try and it looked like a fun project to do during the winter weather.
I think it was a giant success, after this past weekend's attempt I think I finally got it right.
I changed it up a bit, so I'm posting the recipe with my changes below.

Nutty Cranberry Apricot Granola

(recipe adapted from shutterbean who adapted from the Baked:New Frontiers in Baking cookbook)

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole almonds
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them. Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture. Chop up apricots into a small dice or thin strips and set aside.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and lift and flip the granola with a metal spatula. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and use the metal spatula to lift and flip the granola again. Sprinkle the walnuts over the granola and return to the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the chopped apricots and raisins over the granola and transfer it to a airtight container. The granola will keep for 1 week.