Maple Granola

This recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking cookbook. I have been making it for several years but only started adding the dried fruit recently. I sent a batch to my MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Friend Cathy and figured I should "do it up right" so I added the dried fruit and I like it even better now! The maple syrup and the coconut really make this granola special!

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use extra light olive oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil and vanilla.

Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the granola out in the pan.

Bake for 2 hours, stirring the mixture after 1 hour or so.

After 2 hours, remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Transfer the cooled granola to a large bowl and mix in the dried fruit.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.