The Suisse Family Robinson

I've been meaning to post this for a while but am just now getting around to it. I had been looking for a good granola recipe but was having trouble finding one that I really, really liked. Reed's boss's wife (how's that for a title) gave my mother-in-law some of this granola and I had to have the recipe. One batch lasts a long time even when I eat it every morning for breakfast. I use it in place of cereal, or mix it with yogurt or cottage cheese. Lara likes it too! She calls it "Nola".

8 c. oats (the recipe says old-fashioned but I've used quick rolled oats and they work just fine)

1/2 c. wheat germ

1 1/3 c. coconut

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. real maple syrup

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. brown sugar

Add ins- dried fruit, nuts, flax seed, oat bran, sesame or sunflower seeds, etc. My favorites are the flax seed and sunflower seeds.

Directions: Mix and cook in microwave- 4 minutes. Stir. 3 mins. Stir. 3 min. Stir. 3 min. Stir. (13 minutes total) Mix add ins after cooked. (Nuts can be cooked with oats.)

Alternatives: peanut butter in the place of the oil, honey in the place of maple syrup, almond extract in the place of vanilla.

I've tried the honey alternative and that is rather tasty. You can, of course, half this recipe but just remember to cut the cook time also. I forgot and it turned out mighty burnt!