Some of my friends might undergo minor shock when reading this post. Confession: I have been eating granola and yogurt for breakfast lately. (GASP!) Yes, it’s true — the girl who has had the very same breakfast nearly every day since 2003–Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds–is changing it up. And with this homemade granola, it’s been pretty awesome. Though I admit I am missing my cereal. I may sneak some in tomorrow.

This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and it’s delicious, with tons of dried fruit and nuts and rolled oats, sweetened with honey. On top of some Greek yogurt it’s pretty amazing. And this makes a huge batch! I had to split it into two sheet pans because my oven isn’t big enough to hold one that is 13×18.

TW’s Tips

• I’m not a big fig person, and I wanted to mix it up a bit, so I grabbed a mixture of apricots, prunes, apples and some other fruits to replace the figs and apricots.
• If your grocery store has a bulk section, it’s perfect for this granola. Buy 4 1/2 cups of any combination of dried fruit — your favorites.
• Same for the nuts — buy 3 cups of whatever you like best, though I will say that almonds and cashews are my faves.
• For the dried fruit that was too big, I chopped it into bite-sized pieces.
• Don’t buy dried fruit that is really chewy — it gets dry too fast. Stuff like cranberries, cherries and apricots work well.
• 2 cups of coconut sounds like a lot, but this isn’t too coconut-y.
• Whisk the honey in medium bowl–prevents spillage and lets you get in there and work without worrying about it.
• Don’t put the oven rack too low, and keep a close eye so you don’t burn it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup good honey
• 1 1/2 cups small diced dried apricots
• 1 cup small diced dried figs
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small medium bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.