Christmas Granola

Let the kid's help in making and wrapping this heart healthy, whole grain breakfast and snacking treat.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 cups Quaker® Oats (Quick or Old Fashioned, uncooked)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (6-ounce) package dried cranberries (about 1 1/3 cups)

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine all ingredients except cranberries in large bowl; mix well. Spread evenly in 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.
2. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes.
3. Remove granola from oven; stir in cranberries. Cool completely in pan.
4. Store tightly covered up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 7 cups.

For Gift Giving: Spoon granola into airtight glass or plastic jars, canisters, cellophone gift bags (tie closed with ribbon) or empty oatmeal tubes. Ahead of time, paint designs on jars with paint markers or sponges and paint, cover oatmeal tubes with gift wrap, or decorate gift bags with holiday stickers.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): 250 Calories from Fat: 90 Total Fat: 10 Saturated Fat: 4.5 Cholesterol: 10 Sodium: 40 Total Carbohydrate: 39 Dietary Fiber: 4 Sugars: 21 Protein: 4

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of The Quaker Oats Company.