I firmly believe that having rudimentary cooking skills should be a requirement to graduate high school.  (Everyone should know how to feed themselves.) That and having a part time job in retail and some oversees travel experience, at least before graduating from college, would help people understand the world and hopefully themselves a lot better.  

So what does all of this have to do with granola? Not a darned thing! But from my perspective, it’s the kids in college today that are going to be left with our messy and unhealthy world to clean up. So they better know how to feed themselves, get along with others, feel compassion for their fellow world citizens, and understand that as Americans we are simply a small part of the whole picture. We are not the center of the universe.

They better also understand that currently we are being governed by politicians who appear to not want the United States to remain a democracy. And if this current administration and their response to our coronavirus pandemic isn’t indicative of how low a regard they hold the average citizen, then I don’t know what it would take to shake some people’s belief.  

Now, if I have offended any of you who are reading this post – good! Be offended. But put your indignation aside and do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor. Do some independent research about our current administration. And I don’t mean by just talking to friends who feel the same way you do. Read the op-eds in your local paper. Read the New York Times, the Washington Post, and check out wire services such as The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg News.

Now, you might be asking yourself why I am risking loosing readers by offending their delicate sensibilities. It’s because I care about our country, and I care about living a productive and happy life. And I simply can’t continue to feel good about myself if I don’t at least try to help people understand what a fine line we are currently walking. The almost total disregard Washington D.C. is currently showing other nations, and the increasing way in which our national leaders are hurting the very citizens who most need this countries help, is beyond my comprehension. So the better informed people are, the better their decisions will be when it matters the most. Like the upcoming presidential election.

So to those of you in the choir out there – sorry for taking up your valuable time. But if I have helped even one person understand better what is currently happening to our nation, it was worth the loss of readership.  

Be safe out there. Stay healthy. And stay informed. Oh, and make this granola. It’s really yummy!

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ c. real maple syrup 

2 T. bourbon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt 

1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats 

2½ c. mixed nuts (roughly chopped pecans, almonds, roughly chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.)

1 c. unsweetened coconut (I use Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes)

2 c. dried fruit, chopped if large pieces (dried apricots, dates, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried figs, dried apples, etc.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Stir in the oats, nuts, and coconut.

Pour the mixture onto prepared pan and spread into an even layer. (You may need more than 1 pan.) (Don’t wash the bowl.)

Bake until lightly golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking process. Remove from oven, pour back into the same bowl, and stir in the dried fruit. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.