Granola Muffin Recipe

(adapted, but not copied from Alton Brown of the Food Network)

2 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. wheat germ

1/3 c. finely chopped nuts of choice (I used about 1/3 c. each of walnuts and pecans)

1/3 c. total of finely chopped dried fruit (I chose prunes, apricots, and cranberries because that's what I do have on hand and I feed these to Stephen regularly)

1 T. butter

1/3 c. honey

1/4. cup packed brown sugar

2 T. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350.  Put oats, wheat germ, and nuts on sheet pan and toast for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  While that's going on, heat the butter, honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a pan on medium heat until the sugar and the butter are dissolved and the sauce comes together, then turn off heat.  When toasting is done, turn oven down to 300.  Mix all the ingredients together.  Immediately spoon out in non stick muffin pans, but don't press down too much if at all.  The more you press down the crunchier (and less chewy) the resulting granola muffin will be.  Cook in the 300 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Cool in muffin tin and then pry out with fork.  Store in zip lock bag.  My result was wonderful.  I just had one for lunch. Made 8 muffins, but may make more or less depending on how much you compress the granola