Stovetop Granola

I'm rebelling against buying packaged treats for my kids. They aren't the healthiest alternative, and they get snarfed down sooooo fast. A couple of days ago, I watched my daughter open a fruit roll-up, smoosh it into a ball, pop it in her mouth, chew a bit, and swallow it! A whole snack, gone in under two minutes. Then she went for another!

So, I'm looking for healthier, less-expensive alternatives. I'm also working on my food storage lately and looking for ways to rotate it. So, when I found this recipe for granola on Allrecipes.com, it really appealed to me. It turned out yummy and chewy. The kids like it in vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, but I think I ate most of it (that's the downside to my whole plan--fruitsnacks don't tempt me a bit, but homemade treats do!)

STOVETOP GRANOLA
1 T olive oil
2 c rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/3 c butter
2 T honey
1/3 c packed brown sugar
vanilla and cinnamon to taste
any additional nuts or dried fruits you would like (or not)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oats. Cook and stir to brown and toast, 5 min. or so. Turn out onto a cookie sheet while you make the coating.
Melt the butter in the same pan. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon (you can really tweak these last two to suit your own personal taste). Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Return the oats to the pan. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes or so. Pour onto cookie sheet and spread to cool. After it cools you can put it in an airtight container or bag and add the nuts or fruit if you'd like. Enjoy! (But watch out, it's addictive!)

Tamara