Peanut Butter Granola

wife2abadge's Note:

Here's a healthy granola that doesn't have a lot of oil, but has a lot of good-for-you ingredients in it. It's good sprinkled over vanilla yogurt or with milk -- or out of hand as I walk through the kitchen! I bake it at 325 for about 40 minutes, but my oven is going wonky, so I put the recipes original instructions here. You can substitute orange or cranberry juice for the apple juice. I've used almond butter instead of peanut and it turned out great. My picture shows goji berries and dried blueberries instead of raisins.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 18

Yield: 9.0 cups

• 4 ½ cups old fashioned oats (uncooked)
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup sunflower seed
• ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄3; cup dark brown sugar , packed
• 3 tablespoons apple juice
• 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ¾ cup peanut butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup almonds , chopped

Directions:

1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix the oats, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, powdered nonfat dry milk, and cinnamon in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Whisk the brown sugar, apple juice, molasses, and honey in a medium saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
4. Whisk in the peanut butter until creamy.
5. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and toss well with a wooden spoon. This takes quite a while because the mixture is a bit stiff and there's no added oil.
6. Spread the granola onto two large, lipped baking sheets over parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, stirring twice at seven minute intervals.
7. Stir in the nuts and reverse the sheets top to bottom and back to front.
8. Continue baking until dry, lightly browned, and very aromatic, about 25 more minutes, stirring often.
9. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks for 5 minutes, and then stir 1/2 cup of raisins into the mixture on each sheet.
10. Cool completely, about two hours.
11. Transfer to covered bowl and store at room temperature for up to 1 month.