Walnuts belong in Granola

As does Butter/Vanilla extract.  Just sayin.  I decided to make a batch of granola this morning.  I haven't made it in a while.   I read yesterday about "super foods" you should always have in your diet.  Happily many of them, most of them are.  So I get to live forever right?  Well not in this body anyway (thank God for a.ahem small blessings).  I think the list consisted of Spinach, Carrots, Blueberries, Yogurt, Oats, Walnuts and a couple of other things I can't remember.  Ooops.  Anyway I remember the ones I have regularly.  So my motivation for making granola was the yogurt I made the other day.  When I see this list I think ya know what would be good?  Yogurt with blueberries, and granola. So this morning I made a batch of granola.  During the process I realized I was out of brown sugar.  Oh well, I will just use white.  So I did.  I then thought "well if I don't have brown sugar maybe I should put in a little Butter/Vanilla extract to offset the lack of flavor from brown sugar.  I didn't want it to be bland.   In truth, I love, love, love Butter/Vanilla extract!  I am always trying to find ways to use it in cooking.  I will actually add a tiny drop to my coffee.  DIVINE!  But I digress.  I finally finished the granola and tried it.  YUM!  Very good.  Milder than what I usually make, but I think I prefer it this way.  Here is the recipe:

4 cups quick oats
1/3 cup wheat germ
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (are the best!)
1/2 cup dry milk
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp butter vanilla extract

On a greased (or sprayed with cooking spray) cookie sheet, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Dash salt over all and mix it in too.  In a sauce pan combine the oil, honey, sugar, and extract.  Cook on low/med heat til bubbling.  Pour over all the dry mix.  Stir a little with a spoon and then lay the spoon down and mix the rest of the way with your hands.  Spread evenly in your cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350 oven 20 min stirring every 5 minutes.  Take out and let cool.  Break up into pieces after its cool.

If you desire raisins in your granola, mix them in right after you remove the pan from the oven and then let cool undisturbed.  Then break up.