Cherry Almond Granola in a Slow Cooker

I'm still alive!  Yes, I know, it's been MONTHS since I blogged... And Yes, I know, I quit in the middle of my 12 ways of giving. 

Get over it. 

Anyway, thanks to my dear friend and blogger Desiree, I am back and excited to share a recipe for Cherry Almond granola that I made in a crock pot while I did laundry. 

My mom makes granola a lot, and I like it a lot, but I've always found the process stressful.  I don't like taking things out of the oven, trying to stir a full cookie sheet, getting burned in the process, knocking bits on the floor...  It all just seemed annoying to me. 

So I found this recipe for Almond Cherry Granola in a crock pot, changed a few things (it's still me after all), and got to work. 

Ingredients:

2.5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup raw, whole almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried cherry flavored craisins.  

Directions:
Place the oats, honey, oil, almonds and vanilla in a big slow cooker. Stir. Leave uncovered and turn on high. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 20 to 30minutes. 

Reduce to low and add the coconut, and sunflower seeds.   Continued to cook on low uncovered for about 4 hours, stirring every 20 or so minutes. The granola is done when it looks completely dry. Cool on baking sheets.  Add the craisins just before you want to pack it all up, then store in an air tight container.

You can also make it in the oven, but I'm not giving you those directions because I'm not going to be responsible for you burning yourself or making a mess on the floor.