Jumbo granola with maple and dried cherries

I'm on my typical pre-holiday health kick (don't count the leftover Halloween candy I just ate or the number of Jelly Belly beans I gobbled down on a recent Friday evening). I consider it a victory that in the past two weeks I have not purchased cheese from Huckleberries, where they make it really easy to buy tiny end chunks of all sorts of brie, aged hard cheese, and funky stuff from far-off countrysides. I've also gotten back on my apple cider vinegar regimen to fill me with vim and vigor. While part of me is trying to fight my slowing metabolism, I mostly aim to stay strong and sickness-free as I find myself indoors more than usual...surrounded by these darn bite-size Crunch bars.

So, surprise, I've been making granola. I love my granola crisp, clustery, nutty and just slightly sweet with tart fruit. And it turned out that I had all the ingredients on hand on Sunday night when I rediscovered this recipe from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen cookbook. Kismet.

This baked in the oven as I got dinner ready, which led to a really confused appetite. Try chopping root vegetables and making a citrusy chicken marinade while your nostrils are filled with a nutty maple aroma. Olfactory chaos.

This granola was everything I hoped it would be, and it's perfect on a bed of plain yogurt.

Big cluster maple granola
From The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

3 c. rolled oats
1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. wheat germ
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. Grade B maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 large egg white
1 c. dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 300. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the olive oil and maple syrup and stir to evenly coat. Whisk the egg white until frothy, then add to the mixture, stirring until everything is well incorporated. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45-55 minutes, until dry to the touch. (Deb suggests turning the granola halfway through, which I forgot, but it turned out just fine.) Remove and cool in the pan. When completely cool, break the granola into chunks (as you like them) and add the dried fruit. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 7 cups.