kthread / Kristen Taylor

kthread cooks: granola

With April’s holidays and summits, including last weekend’s America Day III and this week’s G5 Summit with my friends, the serious podcasters David, Alex, and Revaz in Mexico City, we need to keep our strength up for proceedings.

And so this week, kthread cooks granola. Five ingredients: oats, fruit, nuts, honey, salt. Unite, kthread Kitchen Network. Let’s do this.

Recipe: Heat oven to 300 degrees Farenheit (325 if you like your granola crunchier). Stir 2 cups rolled oats with 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, etc.) and 1/2 cup nuts/seeds (pecans, walnuts, pistachios, pepitas, etc.). Add 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar), mix thoroughly, spread in even layer on baking sheet. Bake, removing to stir every 5 to 7 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes or until your personal crunch index is achieved. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Clump if you must. Cool. Gift.

reading recommendation: Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon, especially the Seder scene

listening recommendation: “Electric Feel” MGMT per Alex’s inspired playlist (on last.fm; I also like the Justice remix)

dance recommendation: Kass, I am coming to Pittsburgh to snap the Fosse version of “Crunchy Granola Suite” with you and Ahmad

granola wallpaper on Flickr

drink pairing: kefir

salt recommendation: kosher + Hawaiian red (depends on your fruit and nut choices)

What’s your ideal granola—what sort of granola would you line up “all along the Western front and Eastern shore to receive”? Ratios, ingredients, crunchiness level?

Mica :
April 10th, 2009 at 8:32 am
It was quite a revelation, learning that I could make my own granola instead of paying $23894023802 for a 4-oz sub-par bag at the grocery store. I usually put add chopped almonds, kosher salt, chopped Craisins, shredded coconut, and maple syrup to my mix. And I like it so crunchy that my jaw hurts from chewing. Now, I sound like a granola masochist.

Your mix looks fantastic! Red finishing salt, I didn’t know such a magical thing existed!
Holly :
April 10th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Mmmm…I haven’t made granola since Christmas. (For presents! Great idea.) Now you’ve given me a hankerin’, as my Memaw used to say. I like a bit of a tropical vibe, since we’re down in My-hammy: dried mamey, which tastes like caramel and is, hands down, my favorite dried fruit ever; a bit of coconut; dried mango (#2 favorite) and dried carambola (star fruit). Delish! Usually I add one seed — normally some pepitas — and one nut.

The Hawaiian salt sounds really wonderful.

When I make a more traditional granola, I often add some mesquite flour after baking it. Another wonderful, caramel-like flavor. (Sensing a theme here?)

You DO look fantastic, by the way — very Loretta Lynn meets Donna Reed at Easter.
Kass :
April 10th, 2009 at 9:38 am
We await your snapping of Crunchy Granola Suite! This granola is making me salivate at the moment…it’s on my list of things to make as spring rolls in! Rockin the easter attire by the way!
Kristen :
April 10th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Mica,

red finishing salt will change your life. Making you a package. By the way, did you know that there is excellent Virginia syrup? We should make a local granola with Central Virginia ingredients the next time we’re both in Charlottesville. And we’ll sing RENT.

Holly,

I love the idea of a Miami granola–dried mamey sounds amazing and I think I’ll snag a dried fruit mix from Redland Organics at the last Pinecrest market this weekend! Good reminder on what’s best around here. Sorry to miss your fermentation class at the Fairchild event, look forward to seeing you on Sunday, and everyone, oatmeal pancakes and popover French toast (and more!) on Holly’s site lately—

Kass,

Done and done. I borrowed the Grey Gardens attire from their wardrobe closet, and I will wear it when we dance and make crunchy granola. Sweet! ;)
Kristen :
April 10th, 2009 at 9:51 am
and Holly, that’s the best compliment! What Would Loretta Lynn Cook? What Would Donna Reed Sing? Pondering…
Citizen Of The World Inc. » Blog Archive » Photo: G5 Arrives: Covadonga Denied: What’s The Plan?:
April 10th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
[...] run into a waterfall or two, and maybe some hot springs. Mmm. Nature. I think we need some granola for the [...]
Phil :
April 14th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
You know, I’m going to have to do this. . . I am so over cheerios.
Kristen :
April 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Phil, I have to say that granola always trumps Cheerios. :) Let us know how it goes–you could even incorporate Cheerios into the granola—
One-Ingredient Ice Cream, and the Best Fruit You’ve Never Had | Sustainable Suppers:
August 24th, 2009 at 10:16 am
[...] them into fruit leather. Again, nature’s caramel. Unbeatable. Dried mamey is great in homemade granola, as I told my friend Kristen from [...]