My neighbor Jenn sent over the most wonderful gift two weeks ago. Among other special treats, it included a ball jar filled with a vanilla bean, a handful of cardamom pods, a variety of dehydrated citrus slices, large chunks of candied ginger, a few cloves, and a couple of cinnamon sticks. The instructions said to empty into a pot of water and allow to simmer so as to fill the house with amazing smells. I am still planning on doing that, but first I screwed off the top and ate all the ginger.

This gift got me thinking about filling the house with cozy smells, and that’s how I decided to share this granola recipe. It’s a quintessential comfort food, perfect for when you’re sitting indoors staring out the window at a snowstorm and a pandemic. I have looked at a lot of granola recipes, and I’ve tried a few more. This is a good one, not least because you can skip whatever you don’t care for, or don’t happen to have at the moment. In that case, just double any of the nuts and seeds you like more so the recipe ends up with 5-6 cups total.

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup almonds, slivered or chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1 cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 cup melted coconut (not refined) or olive oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Add oats to a large mixing bowl along with almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds. Blend well.
2. Use the same half-cup measure to add olive oil to the mix, then peanut butter, and then maple syrup, in that order. Mix well after each addition until oats and nuts are completely coated. Sprinkle with vanilla extract and salt, mix once more, and turn onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. For clumpier granola, leave the oats crowded so they stick together a little, and press them down lightly into the pan.
3. Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven, and mix in shredded coconut. Press down granola again if desired for clumpier granola, return to oven, and cook 10 minutes more until golden brown. Watch carefully at this stage so the granola doesn’t overcook. The house should smell a-maaaaa-ziiiinnnng.
4. Turn off oven, leave the door open a crack, and allow to cool completely (for at least an hour) before breaking up. Store in a tightly sealed container (I prefer a glass jar) at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or labeled and dated in the freezer for 2-3 months.