Granola: The Winner

Ok, so I'm gonna call this granola recipe the winner.  I think I've finally found a favorite.  This is the first time I've actually wanted to make the same granola recipe several weeks in a row.  So, I declare this the winner.  But that doesn't mean that I am not going to switch it up again.  It's just a winner for now.  

Granola
from many, many manipulations

2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2/3 cup dried bluberries, cherries, cranberries and golden raisins

Mix all ingredients except for dried fruit until thoroughly mixed and clumpy.  Pour onto foil lined pizza or cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Stir, then return to bake for 10 more minutes.  Cool.  Add dried fruits.  Store in an air tight container.

Serve with milk like cereal, with fruit or with yogurt.  Or however else you would prefer to eat granola.

I usually eat it with milk for breakfast, but I might eat it as is the morning I make it.  I always end up munching . . . usually more than I intend.  Oops.

And I also made a mess trying to put it away.  Oops.  Bad LBM.

And, thus, I have finally picked a favorite granola recipe . . . for now.

My wonderful fiance also had a birthday party for me and his roommate JK on Saturday evening.  It was so much fun.

He had all sorts of surprises up his sleeve.  This was the first:

I don't usually drink all that much, but I do occasionally, and it was just too sweet of him to make this for me.  It was really fun to edge the glasses with the sprinkles.  :)  I love sprinkles.  And NES.

It was kind of a lot of alcohol for me, but it was still good!  And after I had some space in my glass, I added some milk, and it was more like what I'm used to.

And then, after I thought the surprises were over, NES pulled out a Cake. cake!!!!  It was soooo adorable.  I love the polka dots.

It was so fun.

And of course, it was red velvet.  Still the best I've ever had.  And NES, knowing me so well, even took some of the frosting leftover from edging the glasses and covered every bite with frosting for me.  It was so sweet, both figuratively and literally!

And then I got home to one (almost) last present, involving a peeps pop from SJM and MJM.  Haha!  Hooray for peeps season!

Thanks for the awesome party, NES, and happy birthday JK!