Almond, Cinnamon, Coconut Granola

I have been wanting to make homemade granola for a while now.  I've perused a lot of recipes, gotten some from friends but was feeling unmotivated because the recipes always seemed to call for grape seed this and wheat germ that and I had no idea where to find them. This is all the more sad since I've wanted to make some to send to one of my very best friends who is serving in Afghanistan with the Special Forces.  I mean could I call myself any more pathetic and lazy compared to what he is doing?  He's pretty much the most remarkable person I know; he came to the U.S. from Vietnam as a young boy, went on to succeed at West Point, Georgetown Law, worked at a top D.C. law firm, became a White House Attorney and then a Federal Prosecutor.  He's incredible.  I've sent him a few care packages and some things tend to hold up better than others.  I felt that granola would hold up pretty well in an airtight container, and he once wrote me "little things from home go a long way".  I can't wait for him to return so I can spoil him with home cooked food. 

I caught a few minutes of Barefoot Contessa the other day and I saw her make just about the tastiest and easiest looking granola I've seen.  I loved that it had coconut in it, and I had almost all the ingredients in my pantry.  I changed it up a bit as I had raisins instead of dried cranberries (though some of the raisins became too dark so I plucked them out), and I added just a pinch of garam masala that my parents had brought back from Morocco (this gave a deep warmth to it that I absolutely love).  I also cut the recipe down, but it still made quite a lot.  Here is the original recipe for your reference.  I am pretty sure I may never buy granola again as this was a lot of fun, and it's delicious (if it weren't getting shipped out today I would finish it all myself in a matter of days!).  It also made my kitchen smell incredible.  I can't wait to make more.    

Almond, Cinnamon and Coconut Granola

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
spoon of ground cinnamon
pinch of garam masala (optional)

Mix everything in a bowl and pour onto sheet pan (lined with silicone pad if you want) bake at 350, tossing throughout, until golden brown and toasty, 20-30 minutes.