For Christmas, my friend Karin gave me a jar of homemade granola that was incredibly tasty, so I asked for the recipe and made my own batch. Once you have all the ingredients, it’s a snap to make.

Melissa Clark adapted this recipe by Early Bird Granola for the New York Times (see the original story here) – I’m reprinting Melissa’s recipe here:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups raw pistachios, hulled
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
1 cup coconut chips
¾ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¾ cup chopped dried apricots

Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)
Fresh berries, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Serve with ricotta and fruit, if desired.

Yield: About 9 cups.

Karin put her granola into mason jars and tied them with a beautiful satin silver ribbon. Tie a pink or red satin ribbon on your jars and give them to your sweethearts for Valentine’s Day.

Image: Charlotte’s Fancy